• G Bulut, G Kilinç, S E Güney, and E K Açikbaş.
• Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir/Turkey.
• Niger J Clin Pract. 2024 Aug 1; 27 (8): 983989983-989.

BackgroundDrawing is an effective tool for evaluating dental anxiety and communicating with children.AimThe aim of this study was to evaluate children's drawings as a measure of dental anxiety with two different assessment methods and their possible relationship with age, gender, and previous dental visits before and after education.MethodsA total of 129 children aged 4-6 years old were requested to draw a picture of the dentist and dental office perception before and after a 20-minute dental education at selected Kindergartens. Drawings were evaluated according to Child Drawing: Hospital (CD: H) and Massoni methodologies.ResultsThe difference in drawing groups between before and after oral health education was found to be statistically significant which meant children had less anxiety after education (P = 0.001). A statistical difference was observed in the scores before and after the education in the group of children who had previous dental visits and those who did not (P = 0.001). Statistically significant differences were observed in both groups of children who had previous dental visits and those who did not (P = 0.002).ConclusionOral health education at younger ages is effective in overcoming dental anxiety and improving the positivity of dental perception. Drawing is a suitable assessment tool for learning about the child's notions and feelings.Copyright © 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice.

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