title: Protocol for a feasibility study of a self-help cognitive behavioural therapy resource for the reduction of dental anxiety in young people.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Childhood dental anxiety is very common, with 10-20 % of children and young people reporting high levels of dental anxiety. It is distressing and has a negative impact on the quality of life of young people and their parents as well as being associated with poor oral health. Affected individuals may develop a lifelong reliance on general anaesthetic or sedation for necessary dental treatment thus requiring the support of specialist dental services. Children and young people with dental anxiety therefore require additional clinical time and can be costly to treat in the long term. The reduction of dental anxiety through the use of effective psychological techniques is, therefore, of high importance. However, there is a lack of high-quality research investigating the impact of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) approaches when applied to young people's dental anxiety.
  
  
  METHODS
  The first part of the study will develop a profile of dentally anxious young people using a prospective questionnaire sent to a consecutive sample of 100 young people referred to the Paediatric Dentistry Department, Charles Clifford Dental Hospital, in Sheffield. The second part will involve interviewing a purposive sample of 15-20 dental team members on their perceptions of a CBT self-help resource for dental anxiety, their opinions on whether they might use such a resource with patients, and their willingness to recruit participants to a future randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the resource. The third part of the study will investigate the most appropriate outcome measures to include in a trial, the acceptability of the resource, and retention and completion rates of treatment with a sample of 60 dentally anxious young people using the CBT resource.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study will provide information on the profile of dentally anxious young people who could potentially be helped by a guided self-help CBT resource. It will gain the perceptions of dental care team members of guided self-help CBT for dental anxiety in young people and their willingness to recruit participants to a trial. Acceptability of the resource to participants and retention and completion rates will also be investigated to inform a future RCT.
authors.affiliation: School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Claremont Crescent, Sheffield, S10 2TA UK.
authors.forename: Zoe
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0943-9637
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Marshman
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Dentistry Department, Charles Clifford Dental Hospital, Wellesley Road, Sheffield, S10 2SZ UK.
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Sociology, and Politics, Sheffield Hallam University, Room 2.05 Heart of the Campus, Collegiate Crescent, Sheffield, S10 2BQ UK.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Porritt
authors.affiliation: School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Claremont Crescent, Sheffield, S10 2TA UK.
authors.forename: Ekta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Claremont Crescent, Sheffield, S10 2TA UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6AL UK.
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Creswell
authors.affiliation: Oral Health Services Research and Dental Public Health, King's College London, Denmark Hill Campus, Caldecot Road, London, SE5 9RW UK.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield, S1 4DA UK.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Mental Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, Administration Building, 1055 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 0XH UK.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Derbyshire Community Health Services, Long Eaton Dental Clinic, Midland Street, Long Eaton, Nottingham, NG10 1RY UK.
authors.forename: Suneeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Dentistry Department, Charles Clifford Dental Hospital, Wellesley Road, Sheffield, S10 2SZ UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kirby
authors.affiliation: School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Claremont Crescent, Sheffield, S10 2TA UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rodd
keywords: CBT; CBT self-help; Children; Dental anxiety; Feasibility study; Low intensity; Qualitative research; Young people