Difference in Child Management Techniques Among Male and Female Dental Practitioners

Among the dental specialties, it is acknowledged that pediatric dentistry has the most astounding portrayal of females contrasted with other propelled dental zones and predoctoral programs. More noteworthy female portrayal in pediatric dentistry has been ascribed to a conventional perspective that treating a child requires qualities, for example, delicacy and sympathy, or mind,tenderness, care, patience, and affection that ladies may have more than men.

Research on contrasts among male and female dental practitioners regarding the utilization of management techniques has been published very rarely. An Australian study of procedures utilized by dental practitioners to oversee children with behavioral issues revealed that female dental practitioners were less likely to utilize aversive strategies.

It is essential to think about the conceivable contrasts in the way female and male pediatric dental practitioners in India especially in a specialty where there is equal potential rise to open doors for ladies and men exist. The utilization of management techniques may affect diversely on dental care benefit. Hence this study aims to evaluate the difference In child management techniques between male and female pediatric dentists.

All 80 participants(female-40; male-40) received a questionnaire which sought information regarding age, sex, behavioral methods used to treat children (tell-show-do, presents given, modeling, hypnosis, voice control, papoose board, hand-over-mouth exercise, parents present during treatment), pharmacological methods (nitrous oxide and general anesthesia), and the dentist’s feeling towards a pediatric patient (authority;aggression). The questions were developed by the authors and included possible variations that seemed likely to yield information of relevance to the study aims. Data were statistically analyzed and the level of significance was set at p

Out of 80 participants, 40 were male and 40 were female. Hence, there was no significant gender difference. Regarding the practice of non-aversive techniques, the majority of dentists used tell-show-do and gave presents at the end of each dental appointment. Hypnosis was the least used non-aversive behavioral technique. Papoose board management technique was commonly used by male dentists than among female dentists (44% and 46%, respectively). Most dentists reported of not having parents inside the dental office during the treatment and if there was restraint, the assistant’s help was taken. The hand-over-mouth exercise was used by 52% of female dentists and 52.9% of male dentists. 41.2% of male dentists reported that they suggest general anesthesia immediately if the child is uncooperative whereas only 23% of female dentists reported suggesting general anesthesia commonly of the child is uncooperative. There was no significant difference in the number of male and female dentists who reported to feel more comfortable while practicing aversive management techniques. Only a few dentists tried their best to use the non-aversive technique. 66% of the dentists reported feeling aggression while the child was uncooperative.

The reason behind conducting this study was to obtain statistical data about the management strategies of male and female pediatric dental practitioners and to give some understanding of their methods for work.