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Dental Anxiety in ChildrenVR-PEDNCT07693764

Evaluation of Virtual Reality Based Distraction on Anxiety and Pain Perception in Paediatric Dental Extraction

A study testing Virtual reality headset, Audio-visual distraction with 2D cartoons and Tell-show-do with verbal distraction in people with Dental Anxiety in Children and Pain Perception, run by Sultan Qaboos University at 2 sites in Oman.

Not yet recruiting

Opening soon. The study is approved but enrolment has not started yet. Sites may already take enquiries.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if virtual reality distraction can reduce dental anxiety and pain perception in children aged 6-10 years undergoing simple dental extraction. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 6 to 10 years
Conditions the study is for
Dental Anxiety in Children, Pain Perception
What is being tested?
Virtual reality headset, Audio-visual distraction with 2D cartoons and Tell-show-do with verbal distraction
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
168 participants
Where
2 sitesOman
Study dates
1 Sep 2026to 1 Oct 2027
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 6 to 10 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Children aged 6 to 10 years
  • Classified as ASA class 1 or 2 (healthy or with mild systemic disease)
  • Those who demonstrated Frankl behavior rating 2 and 3 toward dental procedures
  • Children with NO previous exposure to invasive dental procedure
  • No prior experience using VR glasses
  • Requiring extraction of mandibular deciduous molar under local anesthesia

Who cannot join

  • ASA 3 and above
  • Those who demonstrated Frankl behavior rating 1 and 4 toward dental procedures
  • Special needs ( intellectual and developmental)
  • Children on psychotropic medication
  • Children wearing glasses
  • Presence of intra-oral swelling

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Dr.Zamzam AlQulhati Ali AlQulhati, BDS, MFD ( RSCI) contact

+96895573313

zalqulhati@gmail.com

Azza AlShidhani Khalid AlShidhani, DclinDent (Ed), MPaeds (RCSEd) contact

+96895692669

azzak@squ.edu.om

Oman2 sites
  • Sultan Qaboos University Hospital - Dental & Maxillofacial Department

    Muscat

    Azza Khalid AlShidhani, DclinDent (Ed), MPaeds (RCSEd), +96895692669, Azzak@squ.edu.om

    Mohammed AlAzki, DSA, +968-97674606, m.alazki@squ.edu.om

  • The Medical City of Military and Security Service (Dental Center-AlKhoudh )

    Muscat

    Dr.Khalifa AlAzri, DclinDent (Ed), MPaeds (RCSEd), +968-98199877, Khalifaazri_omsb@outlook.com

    Majid AlFori, DSA, 00968-99668984, Superhero-9w8@gmail.com

Other trials in Oman

About this study

Official title: "Evaluation of Virtual Reality Based Distraction on Anxiety and Pain Perception in Paediatric Dental Extraction: A Randomized Controlled Trial"

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if virtual reality distraction can reduce dental anxiety and pain perception in children aged 6-10 years undergoing simple dental extraction. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does virtual reality distraction lower dental anxiety compared to audio-visual distraction and conventional tell-show-do techniques?

Read more

Does virtual reality distraction reduce pain perception during dental extraction?

Researchers will compare virtual reality distraction, audio-visual distraction (2D cartoons with headset), and conventional tell-show-do with verbal distraction to see which method is most effective in improving child cooperation and reducing anxiety and pain.

Participants will:

Wear VR glasses to watch immersive 3D cartoons, or

Watch 2D cartoons with headset, or

Receive the conventional tell-show-do technique with verbal distraction.

Outcome measures will include child dental anxiety (CFSS-DS, VCARS), pain perception (Wong-Baker FACES), physiological parameters (pulse rate, SpO₂), and behavioral cooperation (Frankl scale).

Being tested
Virtual reality headset, Audio-visual distraction with 2D cartoons, Tell-show-do with verbal distraction
Keywords
pediatric dentistry, dental anxiety, tooth extraction, virtual reality, VR

What participants receive

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

  • Virtual reality headsetDevice

    Children wear a virtual reality headset to watch immersive 3D cartoons during dental extraction. This device provides distraction to reduce dental anxiety and pain perception.

  • Audio-visual distraction with 2D cartoonsBehavioural

    Children watch 2D cartoons with headset during dental extraction. This behavioral technique provides distraction to reduce dental anxiety and pain perception.

  • Tell-show-do with verbal distractionBehavioural

    Children receive the standard tell-show-do technique with verbal distraction during dental extraction. This behavioral method is used to reduce dental anxiety and improve cooperation.

Study groups in NCT07693764
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Arm 1: Virtual Reality DistractionExperimentalChildren wear VR glasses to watch immersive 3D cartoons during dental extraction. Anxiety, pain, and cooperation are assessed using CFSS-DS, Wong-Baker FACES, VCARS, Frankl scale, and physiological parameters
Receives: Device: Virtual reality headset
Arm 2: Audio-Visual DistractionActive comparatorChildren watch 2D cartoons with headset during dental extraction. Anxiety, pain, and cooperation are measured using the same scales and physiological parameters as the VR group.
Receives: Behavioral: Audio-visual distraction with 2D cartoons
Arm 3: Conventional Tell-Show-DoActive comparatorChildren receive the standard tell-show-do technique with verbal distraction during dental extraction. Anxiety, pain, and cooperation are assessed using CFSS-DS, Wong-Baker FACES, VCARS, Frankl scale, and physiological parameters.
Receives: Behavioral: Tell-show-do with verbal distraction

What is being measured

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

  1. Child Dental Anxiety (Self-Report)

    Change in child dental anxiety will be measured using the Children's Fear Survey Schedule - Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS, Arabic version). The CFSS-DS consists of 15 items, each scored from 1 (not afraid) to 5 (very afraid), yielding a total score range of 15 to 75. Higher scores indicate greater dental anxiety (worse outcome). The unit of measure is the CFSS-DS score.

    Measured: Time Points: Baseline (before starting the procedure) and post-operative assessments ( after finishing the extraction)

  2. Child Dental Anxiety (Observation-based Assessment)

    Change in child dental anxiety will also be assessed using Venham's Clinical Anxiety Rating Scale (VCARS). This observational scale is scored from 0 (relaxed) to 5 (out of control), with a total score range of 0 to 5. Higher scores indicate greater observed anxiety (worse outcome).

    Measured: Time points: This scale will be measured at 4 time points during the procedure: T0(baseline)= 15 min before starting the procedure T1= Time of needle penetration T2= Time of extracting the tooth T3= 5 mins after the extraction

  3. 3a: Physiological Monitoring - Pulse Rate

    Pulse rate will be monitored using a pulse oximeter. The unit of measure is beats per minute (bpm). In children, the normal resting pulse rate varies by age:

    Preschool children (3-5 years): ~80-120 bpm

    School-aged children (6-12 years): ~70-118 bpm

    Adolescents (13-18 years): ~60-100 bpm Higher values during the dental procedure indicate greater physiological arousal (worse outcome).

    Measured: Will be measured at 4 time points: T0 ( Baseline)= 15 minutes before the procedure T1= Time of needle penetration T2= Time of extracting the tooth T3= 5 minutes after extraction

  4. 3b: Physiological Monitoring - Oxygen Saturation (SpO₂)

    Oxygen saturation will be monitored using a pulse oximeter. The unit of measure is percentage (%). In healthy children, normal SpO₂ values are typically 95-100% at rest. Lower values indicate poorer physiological status (i.e., worse outcomes).

    Measured: Will be measured at 4 time points: T0 ( Baseline)= 15 minutes before the procedure T1= Time of needle penetration T2= Time of extracting the tooth T3= 5 minutes after extraction

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Pain Perception (Self-Report)

    Self-reported pain perception will be measured using the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (Arabic version). This scale ranges from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain), represented by facial expressions. Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity (worse outcome), and lower scores indicate less pain intensity (better outcome)

    Measured: at the end of the procedure

  2. Child Behavior (Observation)

    Child behavior will be assessed using the Frankl Behavior Rating Scale. This scale has four degrees:

    1. (Definitely Negative): Refusal of treatment, forceful crying, fearfulness, or extreme negativism.
    2. (Negative): Reluctant to accept treatment, uncooperative, some negative attitude but not pronounced.
    3. (Positive): Acceptance of treatment, cautious behavior, willingness to comply with the dentist, sometimes with reservation.
    4. (Definitely Positive): Good rapport with the dentist, interested in dental procedures, laughing and enjoying the situation.

    The total score range is 1 to 4. Higher scores indicate more cooperative behavior (better outcome).

    Measured: Time Points: Baseline (before the dental extraction procedure) and follow-up assessment at 1 month post-procedure

Timeline

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

  1. First posted9 Jul 2026
  2. Study start1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion31 Aug 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion1 Oct 2027 (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
This is a three-arm, parallel group randomized controlled trial in children aged 6-10 years undergoing simple dental extraction. Participants are assigned to virtual reality distraction, audio-visual distraction, or conventional tell-show-do. The study is open-label with outcomes assessed at baseline, injection, extraction, and post-procedure.
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
168 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07693764
Sponsor's protocol ID
PED-VR-2026-A
Other IDs
OMSBoard-2026
Acronym
VR-PED
Status last verified
Jul 2026
First submitted
24 Jun 2026
Last updated
9 Jul 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared due to ethical considerations in pediatric populations, privacy concerns, and institutional policy. Only aggregated results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific meetings.

Publications

  • Barros Padilha DX, Veiga NJ, Mello-Moura ACV, Nunes Correia P. Virtual reality and behaviour management in paediatric dentistry: a systematic review. BMC Oral Health. 2023 Dec 12;23(1):995. doi: 10.1186/s12903-023-03595-7.

    PubMed 38087294
  • Kasimoglu Y, Alpaycetin E, Ince G, Tuna Ince EB. Reduction of Dental Anxiety in Children Using Virtual Reality: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Eur J Paediatr Dent. 2025 Sep 1;26(3):185-191. doi: 10.23804/ejpd.2024.2109. Epub 2024 Oct 1.

    PubMed 39465519
  • Gomez-Polo C, Vilches AA, Ribas D, Castano-Seiquer A, Montero J. Behaviour and Anxiety Management of Paediatric Dental Patients through Virtual Reality: A Randomised Clinical Trial. J Clin Med. 2021 Jul 7;10(14):3019. doi: 10.3390/jcm10143019.

    PubMed 34300185

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Virtual reality headset, Audio-visual distraction with 2D cartoons and Tell-show-do with verbal distraction in people with Dental Anxiety in Children and Pain Perception, run by Sultan Qaboos University at 2 sites in Oman.

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 6 inclusion and 6 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 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 2 sites in Oman. 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?

Contact Dr.Zamzam AlQulhati Ali AlQulhati, BDS, MFD ( RSCI) (+96895573313, zalqulhati@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Child Dental Anxiety (Self-Report) (time frame: Time Points: Baseline (before starting the procedure) and post-operative assessments ( after finishing the extraction)). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. 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 NCT07693764, which also lists 3 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 9 Jul 2026.

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