Background: A child's first dental experience plays a crucial role in treatment success and in fostering cooperation during future visits. In pediatric dentistry, various non-pharmacological approaches have been implemented to prepare children for dental procedures. This study aims to evaluate the effects of two such approaches-therapeutic play and virtual reality glasses-designed to familiarize children with dental instruments, on pain perception and dental anxiety. Methods: A total of 66 healthy children aged 6-9 years attending their first dental visit at the Pediatric Dentistry Clinic of Ataturk University will be included. Participants will be randomly assigned into three groups: one group will receive therapeutic play before local anesthesia; the second group will use virtual reality glasses before local anesthesia; and the control group will receive local anesthesia without any preparatory intervention. Dental anxiety and pain will be assessed using the Modified Children's Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDAS), the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (WBS), and the FLACC scale. Physiological parameters including heart rate and oxygen saturation will be recorded before and after anesthesia.
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Dental anxiety score measured by the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDAS)
Timeframe: Baseline (before intervention), Pre-anesthesia (before local anesthesia), Immediately after local anesthesia injection
Pain score measured by the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale
Timeframe: Baseline (before intervention), Pre-anesthesia (before local anesthesia), Immediately after local anesthesia injection
Pain score measured by the FLACC scale
Timeframe: Baseline (before intervention), Pre-anesthesia (before local anesthesia), Immediately after local anesthesia injection