75 - Supporting Pediatric Dental Residents in Treating Anxious Patients through Interprofessional Collaboration: A Pilot Study

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility, utility, and efficacy of a one-hour interactive training on managing pediatric dental anxiety for pediatric dental residents.

Methods: A one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental pilot study was conducted among pediatric dental residents at Montefiore Medical Center. Sixteen residents were recruited, with 14 completing the pre-test and 16 completing the post-test. Anonymous questionnaires assessed knowledge, confidence, and likelihood of using tell-show-do, positive reinforcement, relaxation training, and audiovisual distraction. The March 2026 in-person training involved didactics, role play, and interactive exercises. Pre-test and post-test mean ratings were compared using independent-samples t-tests with unequal variances and alpha=0.05

Results: Baseline familiarity was greatest for tell-show-do and positive reinforcement and lower for relaxation training and audiovisual distraction. Confidence improved for all four interventions, with statistically significant increases for relaxation training and audiovisual distraction. Likelihood of using tell-show-do and positive reinforcement decreased slightly but not significantly after training. Qualitative feedback indicated strong acceptability and intention to apply new techniques clinically.

Conclusion: Brief interprofessional training may enhance pediatric dental residents’ confidence in less familiar nonpharmacologic approaches for managing dental anxiety. Larger studies with follow-up are needed to assess durability and effects on clinical practice and patient outcomes.