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Play before the drill: study tests if a 30-minute dental play session calms anxious kids

NCT ID NCT07702045

Symptom relief Sponsor: Geisinger Clinic Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 14, 2026 · Last updated Jul 15, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study tests whether a structured 30-minute dental play session before restorative treatment can reduce anxiety and improve cooperation in children with mild to moderate dental fear. Children aged 2-5 on the Houpt behavior scale will play with safe dental tools guided by a child life specialist. Researchers will measure behavior during the procedure to see if this simple intervention helps kids cope better.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
structured dental play session with a Certified Child Life Specialist
What this could lead to
If effective, this approach could offer a simple, non-drug way to help anxious children cooperate during dental procedures.
What could go wrong
This is a very small pilot study with only 20 children, so results may not apply to all kids or dental settings.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 20 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Jul 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

3 to 6 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Participants with no neurodivergent diagnosis * Patients who at previous NP or hygiene visit has restorative needs that require administration of local anesthesia * Patients who are within a score of 2-5 on the Houpt Scale Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with a diagnosed neurodivergent syndrome * Patients who do not need restorative work * Patients who are either score 1 or 6 on the Houpt Scale, to focus on patients with mild to moderate behavior challenges who may benefit most from the intervention. * Patients with complex medical history that affect behavior and cooperation

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Dental anxiety in children

How to take part

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  1. The official record

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