AzTrials
AzTrials

Dental AnxietyNCT07209696

Storybook and Animation Video Adjuncts to Tell-Show-Do in Pediatric Dentistry

A study testing Tell-Show-Do, Storybook Preparation and Animation Video Preparation in people with Dental Anxiety and Dental Fear, run by Inonu University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).

Active, not recruiting

Under way, not looking for participants. Everyone needed has enrolled. The study is still running.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

This study is designed to evaluate strategies for reducing dental anxiety in pediatric patients. The commonly applied "Tell-Show-Do" method involves explaining and demonstrating dental procedures before they are performed. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 4 to 8 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Dental Anxiety, Dental Fear, Child Behavior
What is being tested?
Tell-Show-Do, Storybook Preparation and Animation Video Preparation
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
90 participants
Where
1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
Study dates
1 Oct 2025to 31 Dec 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 4 to 8 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Children aged 4 to 8 years
  • Requiring dental treatment in the pediatric dentistry clinic
  • Classified as cooperative enough for chairside treatment without mandatory general anesthesia
  • Parent or legal guardian able to provide written informed consent
  • Child assent obtained where appropriate -

Who cannot join

  • Children with systemic medical conditions that contraindicate routine dental care
  • Children with developmental, cognitive, or behavioral disorders that preclude completion of study procedures
  • Children requiring urgent dental treatment under general anesthesia or sedation
  • Prior exposure to the same storybook or animation video used in the study
  • Parents/guardians who decline to provide consent

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
  • Inönü university faculty of dentistry

    Malatya, Battalgazi, 44050

Other trials in Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

Official title: Randomized Controlled Evaluation of Storybook and Animation Video as Adjuncts to the Tell-Show-Do Technique in Pediatric Dentistry

This study is designed to evaluate strategies for reducing dental anxiety in pediatric patients. The commonly applied "Tell-Show-Do" method involves explaining and demonstrating dental procedures before they are performed. In this randomized controlled trial, three groups of children will be compared:

Children who receive only the Tell-Show-Do method,

Read more

Children who are prepared at home with a storybook prior to receiving the Tell-Show-Do method,

Children who are prepared at home with an animation video prior to receiving the Tell-Show-Do method.

Children's dental anxiety will be assessed using validated behavioral observation scales, including baseline measurement at the first examination, after preparation, and following completion of dental treatment. The study will determine whether the addition of a storybook or an animation video provides greater effectiveness in reducing dental anxiety compared with the Tell-Show-Do method alone.

Read the detailed description

Dental anxiety is a frequent challenge in pediatric dentistry and can complicate patient cooperation, lead to incomplete treatment, or necessitate the use of general anesthesia. Among the available behavior guidance techniques, the Tell-Show-Do (TSD) method is the most widely applied and has been shown to facilitate children's acceptance of dental procedures. However, recent approaches suggest that additional child-friendly strategies, such as storybooks and animation videos, may further enhance its effectiveness in reducing anxiety and improving cooperation.

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the impact of incorporating a storybook or an animation video in addition to the TSD method on children's dental anxiety and cooperative behavior. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups:

Control group: Tell-Show-Do only.

Storybook group: Children will be prepared at home with a storybook prior to the dental visit, followed by Tell-Show-Do.

Animation video group: Children will be prepared at home with an animation video prior to the dental visit, followed by Tell-Show-Do.

Children's anxiety and cooperation will be assessed at three time points: baseline (first examination), after preparation (before treatment), and after completion of dental treatment. The primary outcome measure will be the Jeet Wheel behavioral observation scale, which provides standardized ratings of children's anxiety and cooperation during dental procedures. In addition, baseline dental fear will be assessed using the Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS), and the potential need for general anesthesia will be evaluated with the SCAN Index.

Data will be analyzed using mixed-effects models to examine the interaction between time (three assessment points) and group (three interventions), while controlling for CFSS-DS and SCAN Index scores. This design will enable comparisons of the relative effectiveness of each intervention independent of baseline differences.

The study is expected to provide new evidence on whether storybook and animation video adjuncts can enhance the effectiveness of the Tell-Show-Do method, offering more child-friendly approaches to reducing dental anxiety in pediatric dental practice.

Being tested
Tell-Show-Do, Storybook Preparation, Animation Video Preparation
Keywords
Pediatric Dentistry, Behavior Guidance, Tell-Show-Do, Animation Video Intervention, Jeet Wheel Scale, CFSS-DS, SCAN Index
Medical subject headings
Child Behavior

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Tell-Show-DoBehavioural

    The conventional behavior guidance technique in pediatric dentistry, where the dentist explains and demonstrates dental procedures before performing them.

  • Storybook PreparationBehavioural

    Home-based preparation using a child-friendly storybook that introduces the dental visit, instruments, and procedures in simple language and illustrations.

  • Animation Video PreparationBehavioural

    The conventional behavior guidance method where the dentist explains and demonstrates dental procedures before performing them, to reduce anxiety and improve cooperation.

Study groups in NCT07209696
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Tell-Show-Do Only (Control)Active comparatorChildren in this arm will receive the standard Tell-Show-Do (TSD) behavioral guidance technique before and during dental treatment. No additional preparation such as storybook or animation video will be provided.
Receives: Behavioral: Tell-Show-Do
Storybook + Tell-Show-DoExperimentalChildren in this arm will be prepared at home with a child-friendly storybook that introduces the dental environment, instruments, and treatment steps in an age-appropriate manner. At the clinic, they will then receive the standard Tell-Show-Do (TSD) behavioral guidance technique before and during dental treatment.
Receives: Behavioral: Tell-Show-Do; Behavioral: Storybook Preparation
Animation Video + Tell-Show-DoExperimentalChildren in this arm will be prepared at home with an age-appropriate animation video introducing the dental environment, instruments, and treatment steps. At the clinic, they will then receive the standard Tell-Show-Do (TSD) behavioral guidance technique before and during dental treatment.
Receives: Behavioral: Tell-Show-Do; Behavioral: Animation Video Preparation

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in dental anxiety and cooperation measured by the Jeet Wheel Scale

    The Jeet Wheel Scale (JWS) (Chakraborty et al., 2024) is a validated child-friendly tool for evaluating dental anxiety and cooperation. The scale ranges from 1 to 8, represented by expressive emoji faces from Excited (1) to Shouting (8). Lower scores indicate no or minimal anxiety with good cooperation, whereas higher scores indicate severe anxiety and poor cooperation. Children will be asked to select the emoji that best represents their feelings, and the score will be recorded at each time point.

    Measured: Baseline (Day 1, first examination before intervention) Immediately after preparation, before dental treatment (Day 1, pre-treatment) Immediately after completion of dental treatment (Day 1, post-treatment)

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Between-group differences in Jeet Wheel scores after behavioral preparation

    The Jeet Wheel Scale will be assessed immediately after preparation (storybook/video vs. Tell-Show-Do only). Group differences will be analyzed using adjusted statistical models. Scores range from 1 to 8, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety.

    Measured: Day 1 (Immediately after preparation, before treatment)

  2. Proportion of children with high anxiety at post-treatment (Jeet Wheel score ≥ 4)

    The percentage of participants with a Jeet Wheel score of ≥ 4 will be compared between groups. A higher proportion indicates a greater number of children with clinically relevant anxiety.

    Measured: Day 1 (Immediately after completion of dental treatment, post-treatment).

  3. Safety and acceptability of behavioral preparations

    Any adverse events or intolerance related to the behavioral preparation (storybook or video) will be recorded. Examples include refusal to proceed with treatment or discontinuation. Such events are expected to be rare.

    Measured: Throughout the dental visit(s) on Day 1.

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted7 Oct 2025
  2. Study start1 Oct 2025
  3. Primary completion28 Nov 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three parallel groups. The control group will receive the Tell-Show-Do (TSD) technique only. The second group will receive storybook preparation at home followed by TSD. The third group will receive animation video preparation at home followed by TSD. Each participant will remain in the assigned group for the duration of the study.
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
90 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07209696
Sponsor's protocol ID
2024-162
Status last verified
Jul 2026
First submitted
17 Sep 2025
Last updated
20 Jul 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: Individual participant data will not be shared due to privacy and confidentiality concerns in pediatric participants.

Publications

  • Alsaadoon AM, Sulimany AM, Hamdan HM, Murshid EZ. The Use of a Dental Storybook as a Dental Anxiety Reduction Medium among Pediatric Patients: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Children (Basel). 2022 Mar 1;9(3):328. doi: 10.3390/children9030328.

    PubMed 35327700
  • Barrera-Avalos C, Luraschi R, Acuna-Castillo C, Vidal M, Mella-Torres A, Inostroza-Molina A, Vera R, Vargas S, Hernandez I, Perez C, Vallejos-Vidal E, Valdes D, Imarai M, Reyes-Lopez FE, Sandino AM. Description of Symptoms Caused by the Infection of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.621 (Mu) Variant in Patients With Complete CoronaVac Vaccination Scheme: First Case Report From Santiago of Chile. Front Public Health. 2022 Mar 21;10:797569. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.797569. eCollection 2022.

    PubMed 35387187
  • Wang Q, Chen S, Li Y, Li P, Wu C, Wu Z, Wu Q, Sun F, Li J, Zheng W, Deng C, Zhang F, Li Y. Positive association of genetic variations in the phospholipase C-like 1 gene with dermatomyositis in Chinese Han. Immunol Res. 2016 Feb;64(1):204-12. doi: 10.1007/s12026-015-8738-x.

    PubMed 26603167
  • Wiley DJ, Grosser S, Qi K, Visscher BR, Beutner K, Strathdee SA, Calhoun B, Palella F, Detels R; Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study Group. Validity of self-reporting of episodes of external genital warts. Clin Infect Dis. 2002 Jul 1;35(1):39-45. doi: 10.1086/340743. Epub 2002 Jun 6.

    PubMed 12060873
  • Thyne SM, Marmor AK, Madden N, Herrick G. Comprehensive asthma management for underserved children. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2007 Nov;21 Suppl 3:29-34. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3016.2007.00882.x.

    PubMed 17935573

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Tell-Show-Do, Storybook Preparation and Animation Video Preparation in people with Dental Anxiety and Dental Fear, run by Inonu University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in dental anxiety and cooperation measured by the Jeet Wheel Scale (time frame: Baseline (Day 1, first examination before intervention) Immediately after preparation, before dental treatment (Day 1, pre-treatment) Immediately after completion of dental treatment (Day 1, post-treatment)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07209696, which also lists 5 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 20 Jul 2026.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in