DOI: 10.14704/nq.2022.20.8.NQ44651

Play therapy in Pediatric dentistry- A scoping review.

Dr. Tanvi Saraf, Dr. Rahul Hegde, Dr.Preetam Shah, Dr. Sumeet Agarwal, Dr. Prasad Mhaske, Dr. Sangeeta Sharma

Abstract

Purpose– The objective of this scoping review was to map the evidence on the applications of play therapy in pediatric dentistry. Theevidencescreened by the pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria to be tabulated and data extracted to be summarized to detect the potential of play therapy and any gaps in the literature. Recommendations were to be made according to the limitations and scope of application. Materials and method- An electronic search from four databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Google scholar) for relevant studies over the past 10 years. Results15 articles, available asfull text in English language were finalized after screening. As per the extracted data, the following applications ofplay therapy were 1. Puppets and dolls for Dental education. 2. Playful breathing for Relaxation and Distraction 3. Playing for anxiety control .4. Play for behaviour analysis. Accordingly, limitations were detected and recommendations wereprovided. Conclusion- The responsibility of the pediatric dentist is not only to alleviatethe dental problems of the child but also to instil a positive outlook toward dentistry. This technique of Play therapyshows potential,however, there is scope for more research. The varied applications should be modified and adapted to pediatric dentistry to create a friendly dental experience for the pediatric patient.

Keywords

play therapy,behaviour management, relaxation, bubbles, puppets, dolls.

Full Text

References