An interventional study of Behavioral Treatment and Behavioral Treatment in Distraction and Behavior Management, sponsored by Damascus University. Completed at 1 site in Syria. Open to participants aged 4 Years to 6 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-01.
Sponsored by Damascus University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other
This study is the first of its kind to examine the effect of integrating the real oral environment with a video that supports the expressions used during the Tell-Show-Do technique (such as "we will see the cavity," "the cavity will drink juice to fall asleep," and "we will clean the tooth from the cavity"). This approach aims to enhance the Tell-Show-Do technique, build trust with the child, and reduce anxiety at the different stages of dental treatment in the clinical setting.
Dental fear and anxiety in children are associated with several visual stimuli, such as the shape of the dental handpiece or saliva ejector, as well as painful procedures like local anaesthesia, which may create a barrier to receiving dental treatment. Many studies have explored various behaviour management techniques to reduce anxiety during treatment; however, few have investigated the effect of using a video simulation of the real oral environment to familiarise children with treatment steps and reinforce the phrases commonly used by the dentist. This study was designed to reassure children by using a video that demonstrates carious lesions and dental instruments, including the mirror, saliva ejector, handpiece, and syringe, and shows how they work inside the mouth in a child-friendly manner.
This research is a randomised controlled clinical trial in which participants were assigned to two groups based on the behaviour management technique used. Anxiety was assessed using three integrated measures: a self-reported anxiety scale, an observer-rated behaviour scale, and physiological indicators including oxygen saturation and heart rate. All measures were recorded before, during, and after treatment to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the intervention's effect on children's anxiety levels.
1,573 studies on the registry are indexed under Behavior; 313 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 80 is below the median of 120 across 1,197 interventional studies indexed under Behavior.
Browse Behavior studies →Damascus University is the lead sponsor of 212 studies on the registry; 11 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Children in this group will receive restorative treatment with following the traditional TSD technique without any visual aids.
Behavioral: Behavioral Treatment
Children in this group will receive restorative treatment with following the enhanced Tell-Show-Do technique with a video simulating the real oral environment
Behavioral: Behavioral Treatment
This group received treatment guided by the Tell-Show-Do (TSD) method. Each step was explained through simple analogies-referring to local anesthesia as 'sleepy juice' and the rubber dam as a 'trap' for the 'tooth worm.' After the explanation and instrument demonstration, restorative treatment was carried out. The protocol excluded the use of any audiovisual aids. All procedures involved conservative restoration of the mandibular primary molars
Also known as: Tell-Show-Do Technique
Children in this group were managed using a video-assisted Tell-Show-Do (VATSD) approach incorporating real-oral simulation. Each procedural step was preceded by a specific segment of a pre-recorded video tailored to the upcoming task. The video featured a simulated intraoral environment where dental caries was personified by an animated 'tooth worm' to explain decay and its removal. Consistent with conventional TSD, the video integrated child-friendly analogies: local anesthesia was introduced as 'sleepy juice'-depicting the 'tooth worm' falling asleep-and the rubber dam was shown as a barrier to prevent its escape. These segments sequentially covered examination, anesthesia, rubber dam placement, and cavity preparation. Each viewing was followed by a standardized verbal explanation before performing the clinical procedure. All participants underwent conservative restorative treatment of the mandibular primary molars
Also known as: Real-Oral Simulation Video-Assisted Tell-Show-Do Technique
Heart Rate
Assessment tool: Pulse oximeter Measurement unit: Beats per minute (bpm) Assessment time points: Heart rate was assessed during a single dental treatment visit at baseline before treatment, after behavior management, during local anesthetic injection, before and during rubber dam placement, before handpiece use, and during restorative treatment.
Time frame: during a single dental treatment visit at baseline before treatment, after behavior management, during local anesthetic injection, before and during rubber dam placement, before handpiece use, and during restorative treatment.
Facial Image Scale (FIS)
Assessment tool: Facial Image Scale questionnaire Measurement unit: Ordinal score (1-5) Assessment time points: Facial Image Scale was assessed during a single dental treatment visit at baseline and during treatment.
Time frame: The Facial Image Scale was assessed during a single dental treatment visit at baseline (first visit before intervention) and during dental treatment.
Oxygen Saturation (SpO₂)
Assessment tool: Pulse oximeter Measurement unit: Percentage (%) Assessment time points: Oxygen saturation was measured using a pulse oximeter and recorded during a single dental treatment visit at baseline, after behavior management, during local anesthetic injection, before and during rubber dam placement, before handpiece use, and during dental treatment.
Time frame: Baseline; after behavior management; during injection; before rubber dam placement; during rubber dam placement; before handpiece use; during treatment during a single dental treatment visit.
Plan to share: No
Ran from Apr 2026 to primary completion in Jul 2026, 3 months.
Of 741 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Behavior, half reached primary completion within 14 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 32. This study's 3 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 757 studies reached it within 13 months; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 32.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is completed, as verified in Aug 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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