Influence of Parental Dental Experience on Decision-Making for their Children's Treatment and Expectation of Sedation Methods

Objective: To evaluate how parental previous dental experiences influence their children's oral health care and dental visits, as well as their expectations regarding sedation methods in pediatric dentistry. Material and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using an electronic questionnaire that collected personal and socioeconomic data, childhood dental memories, and parental expectations regarding sedation methods. The chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 347 parents participated in the study. Among them, 88.8% reported having visited the dentist during childhood, and 27.4% experienced trauma during dental care. However, this was not associated with their children's fear of the dentist. Additionally, 34.9% of parents believed their past experiences influenced their children’s dental visits. Furthermore, 47.7% reported that they would allow the dentist to choose the type of sedative. Inhalation sedation with nitrous oxide and oxygen was the least accepted. Conclusion: Parental dental experiences were not linked to the frequency with which they take their children to the dentist. However, their limited knowledge about sedation techniques may impact their acceptance of these methods in behavior management.