Virtual Reality storytelling versus a storybook to ease dental anxiety in children

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

In this randomized, parallel-group trial, healthy children aged 6 to 10 years will be assigned to either virtual reality storytelling or traditional storybook reading during the waiting period before a dental visit. The same Arabic story about a girl named Amira is delivered in VR or via a printed book, with heart rate measured before and after as an objective anxiety marker. Additional assessments include child-friendly anxiety scales and parental dental anxiety to explore relationships with child anxiety. The study enrolls 108 participants at King Abdulaziz University Dental Hospital, with blinded statistical analysis and sealed-envelope randomization to ensure allocation concealment. Outcomes will inform whether VR storytelling provides added benefit over traditional storytelling for preoperative anxiety in pediatric dentistry.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Aged 6-10 years
* Healthy, physically and mentally (ASA I)
* Arabic-speaking parents and children

Exclusion Criteria:

* Children younger than 6 or older than 10

  * Non-ASA I Children
  * Children with conditions that contraindicate VR experience, such as developmental or sensory disorders.
  * Acute illness that might affect HR reading or anxiety
  * Non-Arabic-speaking

Where it's running

• Amani Ahmad Al Tuwirqi
  Jeddah, Mecca Region, Saudi Arabia Recruiting

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.