A Questionnaire of Parental Perceptions of Conscious Sedation in Pediatric Dentistry.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the opinions of parents about oral sedation in pediatric dentistry.


METHODS
A 21-question questionnaire, administered to parents of children presenting for care in four pediatric dental practices, collected demographic information, media exposure to sedation, and parental knowledge/opinions regarding sedation procedures, such as NPO (nothing by mouth) guidelines, need for restraint, parental presence, and parental acceptance of treatment scenarios.


RESULTS
Among 256 questionnaires completed, 235 were usable. Fifty-eight percent of respondents reported using public insurance. Parents agreed/strongly agreed (75 percent) that protective stabilization should not be necessary during sedation, and 87 percent preferred to stay with their child during the appointment. No parents perceived sedation as unsafe. Seventy-three percent of parents were unaware of media coverage of sedation; 82 percent reported it was acceptable for their child to sleep through a sedation appointment, while only 18 percent found it acceptable for the child to be highly reactive.


CONCLUSIONS
Parents prefer to remain with their child, believe that sedation is safe and restraint should not be necessary, and are more accepting of the child sleeping during treatment. Most parents are unaware of media coverage of dental sedation for children.
private practice, Memphis, Tenn., USA.
Jason
J
White
Graduate Pediatric Dentistry Program, College of Dentistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tenn., USA. mwells@uthsc.edu.
Martha
M
Wells
Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Biostatistics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Fla., USA.
Kristopher L
KL
Arheart
Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Community Health, College of Dentistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tenn., USA.
Martin
M
Donaldson
Division of Oral Diagnosis, Department of Diagnostic Sciences and Oral Medicine, College of Dentistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tenn., USA.
Marjorie A
MA
Woods
D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents; D010377:Pediatric Dentistry; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires