EC Dental Science

Background: Anxiety is an uneasy mental state which is marked by apprehension and uneasiness. Dental anxiety is a well-known entity amongst children, which invariably affects the behaviour of the child in a dental clinic. The present study aims to develop a simple method to evaluate children’s dental anxiety levels at their first dental visit through their pattern of colouring and drawing and its correlation with Frankl’s behaviour rating Scale.

Methodology: A total of 100 patients aged of 3 to 14 years were handed out three drawing sheets which contained three sections on colouring and drawing. The types of drawing exercises given to the patients included copying of geometric shapes, colouring of the butterfly line diagram and any picture of their choice. The drawing patterns and colouring was assessed depending upon the number of stress markers present. Stress Markers were evaluated on the basis of colouring and drawing patterns. Their Frankl’s behaviour scale was also noted on the same visit.

Result: There was a significant negative correlation between Frankl and Pattern of colouring (p = 0.01) and a significant positive correlation was found between pattern of colouring and stress marker (p = 0.01), when spearman’s correlation test applied.

Conclusion: This tool may enable the dentist to assess the level of cooperation and behaviour of the child before entering into the clinic area.

 Keywords: Children’s Drawing; Dental Treatment Anxiety; Frankl’s Behaviour Rating Scale; Pattern of Colouring; Stress Marker

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