title: Longitudinal behavioral analysis during dental care of children aged 0 to 3 years.
abstract: 'When' and 'how' the dentist intervenes have repercussions on children's physical and emotional patterns. The objective of the present study was to conduct a longitudinal behavioral analysis during dental care of babies aged 0 to 3 years. A total of 216 patients seen at the Baby Clinic of the School of Dentistry at Araçatuba, São Paulo State University (UNESP), were selected. The selection criterion was attendance at ten dental care sessions at bimonthly intervals for routine procedures such as clinical examination and oral hygiene. There was a predominance of cooperative behavior compared to uncooperative behavior when each visit was analyzed separately. The behavior of the patients must have been directly influenced by their psychomotor development. Constant attendance and exposure of the baby to non-stressful dental stimuli are factors that favor a cooperative behavior.
authors.affiliation: São Paulo State University, Araçatuba, SP, Brazil. cunha@foa.unesp.br
authors.forename: Robson Frederico
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Ana Carolina Soares Fraga
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Zaze
authors.forename: Ana Elisa de Mello
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Fabíola Lemos
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Melhado
authors.forename: Maria Lucia Marçal Mazza
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sundefeld
mesh_terms: D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010808:Physical Examination