What are children's perceptions of dental interventions? A qualitative systematic review.

purposeTo explore the experiences and perceptions of children who underwent minimally invasive dentistry interventions and invasive dental interventions for caries prevention and management.

methodsElectronic searches were conducted to identify studies that used qualitative data to assess the phenomenon of interest up to October 2024. Two reviewers conducted the selection of studies independently and in duplicate. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated, and the final synthesised findings were graded. Data were analysed using a meta-aggregative approach.

resultsThe search strategy identified 2503 studies, of which eight were included. The methodological quality of the included studies was rated as good. Five categories were developed, leading to two synthesised key findings: dental fear and anxiety in children, and impressions of the guidance provided. Confidence in the synthesised findings was rated as high.

conclusionsChildren's views, as the end users of interventions, reveal factors that influence their acceptance, knowledge retention, coping strategies, and behavioural responses to dental interventions, regardless of the intervention's level of invasiveness. Findings assist paediatric dentists in tailoring communication and care, considering children's emotional self-regulation. Dentists and parents are crucial in fostering positive experiences. Interactive and repetitive methods improve oral health knowledge retention and promote lasting behavioural changes.