Dog-Assisted Therapy (DAT) for the management of anxiety during paediatric dental care. A scoping review.

Aim: Distraction techniques in paediatric dentistry can be effective in decreasing the child's attention span from an unpleasant or stressful procedure. Distraction is achieved through imagination, audio, and/or visual stimuli. It has been shown that the accompaniment and participation of animals or pets, specifically dogs (Dog-Assisted Therapy or DAT), during medical, oral, and therapeutic activities can improve the physical and mental health of patients, especially children.