Intraoral clinical examinations of pediatric patients with anticipatory anxiety and situational fear facilitated by therapy dog assistance: A pilot RCT.

Objective: To evaluate whether the presence of a certified therapy dog specially trained for working in a dental setting may facilitate dental care of anxious pediatric patients.

Methods: The Norwegian Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics approved a randomized cross-over trial with a study sample of n = 16 children aged between 6 and 12 years. The trial was registered on clinicaltrials.