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Patient Management

102 - Decreasing Appointment Durations for Pediatric Patients at the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center: A Quality Improvement Project

Friday, May 22, 2026
1:20 PM - 1:35 PM PST
Has Audio
Abstract:


Purpose:
This quality improvement project evaluated if music therapy reduces appointment duration during oral conscious sedation (OCS) with midazolam in pediatric dental patients (0–12 years) and during operative appointments with or without nitrous oxide in children (5–8 years) at the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center.



Methods:
A quality improvement project used the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Plan–Do–Study–Act framework. Pediatric patients aged 0–12 years undergoing OCS and those aged 5–8 years receiving operative treatment with or without nitrous oxide were included. Data were collected from pre–intervention (March–May 2025, no music) and post-intervention (June–August 2025, with music). Appointment duration, from first to last handpiece use, was recorded manually. Statistical process control (X̄, R charts) and comparative descriptive statistics assessed mean duration, variability, and stability.



Results:
Mean appointment times decreased: OCS (9→6 min, 33.3%), operative with nitrous oxide (25→21 min, 16.0%), and without (23→21 min, 8.7%). Overall variability declined as shown by the improvement in p</span>rocess stability: OCS (1.38— >1.16, 16.2%), with nitrous (0.916 -- > 1.70, 85.6%), and all three treatment modalities demonstrated no out-of-control points.



Conclusions:
Music therapy reduced appointment duration and enhanced process stability in pediatric dental care.

Identify Supporting Agency and Grant Number: Research supported by NYU Langone dental Medicine.