Pediatric Dental Procedure-Related Pain Assessment Practices in A Rural Alaskan Health Care Organization: A Qualitative Study.

Purpose: Acute pain experienced during dental procedures can lead to distress, difficulty with behavior guidance, and dental fear/avoidance. The purpose of this study was to explore dental providers' perceptions of pediatric procedure-related pain and acute pain assessment practices.

Methods

Fifteen dental providers (53 percent female; nine dentists, three dental therapists, three dental hygienists) currently/formerly employed by a single rural Alaskan health care organization were interviewed using a semi-structured guide. Recorded interviews were transcribed, verified, and coded using inductive qualitative analytic methods.

Results

Six providers suggested that pediatric procedure-related pain is rarely encountered. Providers who reported encountering it rely on observation of body language, facial expression, behavior, crying, and verbalization to know whether a child is experiencing procedural pain. Even when available, only four interviewees reported using standardized pain scales.

Conclusions

Dental providers have mixed perceptions about whether they encounter pediatric procedure-related pain. There is high variability in how providersassess procedural pain, and approaches often are nonstandardized.