skip to main content

Child Behaviour Assessment — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

EasyPaediatric Dentistry PrinciplesChild Behaviour AssessmentMFDS Part 1

A 6-year-old child with no pain requires restoration of a carious primary molar, which is likely to involve local anaesthesia. The child is apprehensive and has not previously received operative dental treatment. What is the best initial approach to assess whether the child can accept treatment under local anaesthesia?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B — Undertake graded tell-show-do acclimatisation and observe the child’s response

The best approach is graded tell-show-do acclimatisation while observing the child’s response at each stage. This uses age-appropriate explanations and demonstrations before progressing to the procedure, allowing cooperation to be assessed and developed without creating avoidable distress. A behaviour rating such as the Frankl scale may document observed behaviour but does not independently measure psychological maturity. Chronological age and parental reports cannot reliably establish treatment acceptance. An unexpected injection may worsen anxiety and does not provide a suitable initial assessment. Sedation is an adjunct when indicated after individual assessment, while general anaesthesia is reserved for selected cases rather than used routinely when behavioural management has not yet been attempted.

Reference: Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme. Prevention and Management of Dental Caries in Children, 3rd edition: Behaviour management—Helping the child to adapt to a dental environment. 2025. https://www.childcaries.sdcep.org.uk/guidance/helping-the-family/behaviour-management/