Original Article
Year : 2018 | Volume : 3 | Issue : 2 | Page : 53-58
Children’s Preferences for Different Kinds of Dental Attires: The Concept of Psychological Modulation of Children’s Behavior by Different Kinds of Attires in Dental Clinics
Onkar P. Haridas, Shruti R. Patil1, Venu Gopal S2, Susanthi R3, Kongkana K4, Vivek Rai5, Abhishek Singh Nayyar6
Department of Pedodontics, Saraswati-Dhanwantari Dental College and Hospital and Post-Graduate Research Institute, Parbhani, Maharashtra, 1 Department of Pedodontics, SDM College of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad, Karnataka, India, 2 Formerly at Department of Dentistry, Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 3 Department of Public Health Dentistry, Dr. D Y Patil Dental School, Lohegaon, Pune, Maharashtra, 4 Department of Dentistry, Tezpur Medical College and Hospital, Tezpur, Assam, 5 Department of Pedodontics, Saraswati-Dhanwantari Dental College and Hospital and Post-Graduate Research Institute, Parbhani, Maharashtra, India/Currently, Dental Officer, ECHS Polyclinic, Karnaprayag, Uttarakhand, 6 Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Saraswati-Dhanwantari Dental College and Hospital and Post-Graduate Research Institute, Parbhani, Maharashtra, India
Address for correspondence:
Dr. Abhishek Singh Nayyar,
44, Behind Singla Nursing Home, New Friends’ Colony, Model Town,Panipat ‐ 132 103, Haryana, India.
E‐mail: singhabhishekndls@gmail.com
Abstract
Context:
Psychologists highlight the importance of appearance and its effect upon first impressions and the development of interpersonal relationship. How a dental surgeon dresses may be important in determining the success of dental surgeon–patient relationship. Different dental attires may evoke different feelings according to their appearances. Knowing the children’s preferences for different kinds of dental attire, a dental surgeon may determine the most child-friendly attire and the care provided by dental surgeons can be, further, improved. Aims: The aim of the present study was to assess children’s preferences for different kinds of dental attire and to investigate and relate the influence of age, socioeconomic status, effect of media, and the previous exposure to a dental setup on children’s preferences.
Materials and Methods:
A total of 2500 schoolchildren in the age group of 9–14 years were interviewed on their preferences individually for different kinds of dental attire followed by a questionnaire. Ten photographs of five male and five female dental surgeons in different modes of attire were shown to children and asked to give their preferences. The completely answered questionnaires by children were collected on the same day from the children and by parents the next day.
Statistical Analysis Used:
Collected data were compiled and analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS (version 13, SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA) package. The statistical tests used for the analysis were Chi‐square test, Fisher’s exact test, and linear association.
Results:
The results obtained revealed that 35.6% of children preferred white coat the most followed by the attire-scrubs with cartoon (21.8%) for male dental surgeons while 38.2% of children preferred white coat followed by formal attire (28.4%) for the female dental surgeons.
Conclusion:
White coat is the most preferred attire by children followed by scrubs with cartoons and formal attire. Plain scrub was the least preferred. Age and socioeconomic status have definite influence on the preferences of children as lower class and higher age groups showed more inclination toward white coat. Past dental experiences and effect of media showed no significant effect on children’s preferences.
Keywords: Children’s preferences, dental attires, dental clinics, psychological modulation of children’s behavior
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
How to cite this article: Haridas OP, Patil SR, Gopal SV, Susanthi R, Kongkana K, Rai V, et al. Children's preferences for different kinds of dental attires: The concept of psychological modulation of children's behavior by different kinds of attires in dental clinics. Int J Pedod Rehabil 2018;3:53-8.
