Factors Influencing Parental Acceptance of Paediatric Dental General Anaesthesia: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Introduction: The current review focuses on the factors influencing parental acceptance and the dentists' role in facilitating dental treatment acceptance under general anaesthesia (GA). Materials and methods: The search was conducted on several databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar search engine, and Cochrane Library on articles published from June 1993 to June 2023. A mixed research method was adopted for the current review, which implies that studies with both qualitative and quantitative methodologies were included. Results: The findings revealed several factors influencing parental acceptance towards dental treatment under GA. One of these factors was parental beliefs and attitudes that have been linked to a higher possibility of acceptance. Moreover, the income and education levels of parents revealed that parents with a higher education level were more likely to accept the adoption of GA for their children's dental treatment. Dentists' roles in promoting parental acceptance towards dental treatment under GA is important in ensuring that the parent received accurate information concerning the dental treatment procedure, its benefits, and related risks. Providing parents with this information will help them make well-informed decisions on the treatment procedure. Conclusion: Dentists should include parents in the decision-making process, explain key details concerning the treatment procedure and allow them to contribute to selecting the best dental treatment option for their children.