2.1 INTRODUCTION
It is a common belief among many individuals that being 'good with people' is an
inborn art and owes little to science or training. It is true that some individuals have a
more open disposition and can relate well to others (
Fig. 2.1). However, there is no logical reason why all of us shouldn't be able to put
young patients at their ease and show that we are interested in their problems.
It is particularly important for dentists to learn how to help people relax, as failure to
empathize and communicate will result in disappointed patients and an unsuccessful
practising career. Communicating effectively with children is of great value, as 'being
good with younger patients' is a practice-builder and can reduce the stress involved
when offering clinical care.
All undergraduate and postgraduate dental training should include a thorough
understanding of how children relate to an adult world, how the dental visit should be
structured, and what strategies are available to help children cope with their
apprehension about dental procedures. This chapter will consider these items,
beginning with a discussion on the theories of psychological development, and
following this up with sections on: parents and their influence on dental treatment;
dentist-patient relationships; anxious and uncooperative children, and helping anxious
patients to cope with dental care.
Fig. 2.1 Being good with patients is not necessarily an inborn art! (With thanks
to David Myers and kind permission of Eden Bianchi Press.)2.2 PSYCHOLOGY OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT
2.2.0 Introduction
At one time the psychological development of children was split into a series of well-
defined phases, but more recently this division has been criticized and development
should now be seen as a continuum. The phases of development may well differ from
child to child, so a rigidly applied definition will be artificial. Nevertheless, for the