A software-based observational coding approach for evaluating paediatric dental pain, anxiety, and fear.

Background: Dental practitioners desire non-pharmacological methods to alleviate anxiety, fear, and pain in children receiving dental care; high-quality evidence, however, is required to evaluate methods' efficacy.

Aim: This study aimed to develop and validate an observation-based coding approach (paediatric dental pain, anxiety, and fear coding approach [PAFCA]) to evaluate non-pharmacological behavior management techniques for anxiety, fear, and pain.

Design: Objective (video-based) and subjective (self-reported) anxiety, fear, and pain data were collected from a pilot clinical trial evaluating animal-assisted therapy (AAT) in paediatric dentistry, in which 37 children aged 7-14 were assigned to AAT or control before dental treatment (restorations or extractions).