Waseem Ramzan Nadaf*, Nisha Bhagat, Nisha Yadav and Niharika Singh

Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Rama Dental College, Hospital and Research Centre, Kanpur, India

*Corresponding Author: Waseem Ramzan Nadaf, Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Rama Dental College, Hospital and Research Centre, Kanpur, India.

Received: August 29, 2025; Published: September 04, 2025

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a modified behavioral management technique, Tell-Show-Do-Play (TSD-Play), compared to the conventional Tell-Show-Do (TSD) method on anxiety and cooperation levels in pediatric dental patients.

Methods: 200 children (aged 4-7 years) undergoing routine dental examination were randomly allocated to a control group (TSD, n = 100) or an experimental group (TSD-Play, n = 100). The TSD-Play group incorporated a 90-second play phase with a replica mouth mirror on a model. Primary outcome was change in heart rate (HR). Secondary outcomes were behavior scores using the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) scale and the Houpt scale.

Results: The mean increase in HR was significantly lower in the TSD-Play group (5.8 ± 2.9 bpm) compared to the TSD group (12.5 ± 3.8 bpm) (p < 0.001). The TSD-Play group also demonstrated significantly better median FLACC scores (1 vs. 4, p < 0.001) and Houpt scores (6 "Excellent" vs. 3 "Fair", p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The incorporation of a "Play" component into the traditional TSD technique significantly reduces physiological anxiety and improves cooperative behavior in children during dental examinations. TSD-Play is a simple, effective, and zero-cost enhancement to standard behavioral management.

Keywords:Pediatric Dentistry; Behavior Management; Dental Anxiety; Tell-Show-Do; Play Therapy

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Citation

Citation: Waseem Ramzan Nadaf., et al. “The Efficacy of a Tell-Show-Do-Play (TSD-Play) Behavioral Management Technique in Reducing Anxiety and Improving Cooperation in Pediatric Dental Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial".Acta Scientific Dental Sciences 9.10 (2025): 04-08.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Waseem Ramzan Nadaf., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.