Effectiveness of Custom-made Social Stories over Ready-made Social Stories in Reducing Dental Anxiety among 3-5-year-old Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract

Aims and background: Dental anxiety is a prevalent obstacle to receiving effective dental care in children, especially in those who are preschool-aged. Social stories have been utilized as a tool to alleviate anxiety in children; however, their use in dentistry, specifically the comparison between custom- and ready-made formats, has not been thoroughly examined. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of custom-made social stories compared to ready-made ones in reducing dental anxiety in children aged 3-5 years during their initial dental appointment.

Materials and methods: A total of 100 children between the ages of 3 and 5 years who were visiting the pediatric dental outpatient department (OPD) for the first time were divided into two groups using a simple random selection method (lottery method): group A (custom-made social stories) and group B (ready-made social stories). Each group included 50 children. Anxiety levels were evaluated both before and after the intervention using the Facial Image Scale (FIS). The custom story depicted the actual clinic environment and the treating dentist, whereas the ready-made story was obtained from the Boston Medical Center website.

Results: The preoperative FIS scores indicated no significant difference between the two groups. However, the postoperative evaluation revealed a noteworthy reduction in dental anxiety for both groups, with a greater reduction shown in the custom-made group, with a p-value of 0.803.

Conclusion: Custom-made social stories proved to be considerably more effective than ready-made ones in alleviating dental anxiety in children during their first dental visit. The effectiveness is likely attributed to the personalization of the stories, which included specific visuals from the clinic and the involvement of familiar caregivers.

Clinical significance: Utilizing personalized social stories serves as a straightforward, economical, and gentle method for guiding behavior that can significantly enhance a child's experience and willingness during dental visits. Including these stories in standard pediatric procedures could improve clinical effectiveness and lessen the difficulties associated with dental anxiety.

How to cite this article: Kaavya IS, George S, Anandaraj S, et al. Effectiveness of Custom-made Social Stories over Ready-made Social Stories in Reducing Dental Anxiety among 3-5-year-old Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2026;19(2):150-155.