Communicating with children and parents: recommendations for a child-parent-centred approach for paediatric dentistry

BACKGROUND: The European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry has called for a series of evidence-based statements to inform their guidelines on the behavioural management of the child patient. Communication between dentist, parent and child based upon scientifically robust research evidence was felt to be central to this request in order to provide empathetic and child-centred care for children and their parents attending for dental health care. REVIEW PROCESS: Shekelle and colleagues [1999] devised a series of steps to develop an evidence-based clinical guideline. This framework allows first, the identification and refinement of the subject area and secondly, the identification and assessment of the evidence-base. Four areas of communication were identified as being of central importance. These were identification of the mother-child dyad; affective communication skills; problem solving and negotiation skills. CONCLUSION: It was recommended that paediatric dentists should become knowledgeable and competent in these skills in order to provide patient-centred care for the children and parents attending their clinics for dental treatment.