5.1 An Overview of Behavior Guidance—Continued

Oral health professionals are encouraged to use behavior guidance techniques consistent with their level of education and training. An oral health professional who is not comfortable guiding a child’s behavior, in partnership with the parents, should refer the child to another oral health professional with more knowledge, skill, and experience. Oral health professionals can also coordinate with other health professionals (e.g., behavioral specialist, psychologist, physician, social worker) involved in the child’s health care to prepare the child for oral health visits.

A variety of factors may make guiding the behavior of children with special health care needs challenging. Children with special health care needs may be uncooperative for the same reasons as children with no special health care needs (e.g., fears transmitted from parents, an earlier unpleasant dental or medical visit, inadequate preparation for the first encounter in the dental office, dysfunctional parenting practices) or because of immature or impaired development. Lack of stability, muscle control, or impulse control can also result in behavior that can endanger the child or the oral health professional. Behavior may vary within an appointment, for different types of services, or as the child develops. Sometimes behavior is unpredictable. A technique that works in one situation may not be successful for another procedure or on a different day. A technique that works for one oral health professional may not work for another.

Continued on the next page.