It is well known that anxiety is more common in dentistry when compared to pain . Despite advances in dentistry, the decision of dental treatment and consent remains widespread among patients and is a significant barrier to dental treatment. Dental treatment that is decided by the dentist or the patient is a public health problem and no epidemiological study has been undertaken in Fujairah to evaluate its prevalence. Decision making is a process where an individual select or choose the best suited for his or her personal benefit. Decisions are made from wide choices or selective choices available at the given point of time. Each individual make their own inference and has the right to do so, based on the cognitive development and interaction with the environment or surrounding they live.
Several factors are involved in a good decision making, like the knowledge, choices, consequences, expectedness, permanence to name a few. While making decisions regarding treatment, it is recommended to involve the child or young person in the decision as much as possible, based on their level of understanding. A child who comprehends and is more involved will have a high level of motivation and serve as a much better patient. This will help the dentist to get a desired result for the delivered treatment.
If the child is not proficient of compliant they, in order to continue with the treatment, the consent of a responsible person or, in some settings, the court itself, will be needed. Going straight in to the crux of the study done in Fujairah , majority of children were not really worried about having their teeth checked by a dentist and were willing to visit a Dentist. 52% was worried about having an injection and having their tooth removed. But only 22.4% were arguing against the decision of removing a badly decayed tooth.
The response about delay in putting a cap on a broken down front tooth until they were 18 saw a difference among male and female respondents. The overall result shows that the children in the age group of 14-16 are capable of making good decision in the areas where they are knowledgeable and were willing to discuss those matters which they were not sure about.
Thus , it can be concluded that if the patient can weigh the risk and benefits and are able to reach a good decision they can give an informed consent for dental treatment.
Dr.Khaled Attourah BDS ( Ajman University ) , Member of the RCSI , an aspiring Periodontist
ResearchGate.net : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317617523_Decision_Making_for_Dental_Treatment-Competency_among_School_Children
