The effects of animated TV program during dental teatment were evaluated. Thirty seven preschool children (3 years 0 month to 5 years 11 months, average 4 years 4 months) were divided into two groups, with 18 control children who saw no television during their visits, while the 19 remainding children watched animated TV program as they sat in the dental chair.
The child's behavioral and emotional reactions during dental treatment were estimated before the child sat in the dental chair by “The Young Children's Behavioral and Emotional Estimate Test in the Dental Setting” developed by K. Harada. The child's behavioral and emotional reactions during dental treatment in fact were evaluated using a modified Frankl's Scale.
The results were as follows:
1) Cooperative children during dental treatment amounted to 77.8% in the no television control group, with 68.4% in the group watching animated TV programs.
2) In the control group,10 of 12 children were estimated as cooperative and were in fact cooperative while 2 of 6 children were estimated as uncooperative and were in fact uncooperative. And the success rate was 66.7%. In the TV watching group,10 of 12 children estimated as cooperative were in fact cooperative and 4 of 7 children estimated as uncooperative were in fact uncooperative, then the success rate was 73.7%. In TV watching group, cooperative child enjoyed animation TV program, but uncooperative child could not afford to watch television.
Based on these results, it was concluded that in preschool children watching animation TV program during dental treatment had no effects on clinical anxiety and cooperative behavior.