Pain Management in Pediatric Dentistry

An interesting article titled “Provider perspectives on pain management practices and needs in pediatric dentistry,” written by Melissa Pielech and Caroline Sawicki appears in the Journal of the American Dental Association (published October 25, 2023). The article sought to assess the pediatric dentists use of and attitudes toward evidence-based pain management strategies. To better understand dental pain management in children, the authors surveyed 625 pediatric dentists and residents. The dentists and residents were sent a 27-item online survey to assess attitudes about evidence-based pain management, tools, and practices and opinions regarding areas for improving pain management. Among the respondents, 89% were dentists and 11% were residents. The majority of respondents thought that pain management is an important aspect of clinical care in pediatric dentistry and believe it is necessary to improve pain management practices. Dentists and residents said that they … Read more