Behavior Management & Sedation

Behavior Management Philosophy

As stated in our mission statement, it is always our goal to make every visit to our office a pleasantly memorable one. In order to accomplish this, we introduce all our patients to every new procedure utilizing what is called the Tell-Show-Do technique. As it states, with any new instrument, material, or action that we introduce, we first tell our patient what these things are, we show them as well, and then we go ahead and do the procedure with very little delay. Especially at their initial visit we invite parents to join us so that they may be supportive of their children and at the same time be informed of all that we are demonstrating and discussing with their child.

In most cases, the Tell-Show-Do technique is all that we ever need even when there are follow up visits for further treatment. In some instances we may find it necessary to administer local anesthetic to control pain during treatment. If we notice during the first visit or subsequently that a child exhibits an increased amount of anxiety or fear, we may recommend additional methods to allay these feelings during future appointments. Televisions in the ceiling over the treatment chairs with individual headphones often serve to distract children and we may at times suggest the use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to help in these situations as well. 

In more extreme cases where we sense something a bit stronger may be necessary to control behavior, as in the case of very young or medically or physically compromised patients, we may recommend the use of an oral sedative.  This is a liquid medication administered in the office prior to treatment, which does not put children to sleep but serves to relax them to the point where the previous methods will then work more effectively.  Even with the use of oral sedation, however, children will be awake throughout the procedure and be able to walk on their own upon completion.  Rest assured that if we find that any of these methods other than the Tell-Show-Do technique may be necessary, we will always discuss their usage with you prior to instituting them.