Therapy Dogs for Situational Anxiety

Overseen By James R Boynton, DDS, MS

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Michigan

Disqualifiers: Dog allergies, Dog phobia, Behavioral disorder, Heart conditions, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

Duration: Single session

25 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if a therapy dog can reduce anxiety in children during dental procedures requiring local anesthesia. The study will compare the effect of a therapy dog to standard behavior guidance during these procedures. Children who are healthy, scheduled for multiple dental procedures needing local anesthesia, and do not have allergies or fears related to dogs may be suitable candidates for this study. As an unphased trial, it offers a unique opportunity to explore innovative ways to enhance children's comfort during dental visits.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What prior data suggests that therapy dogs are safe for children during dental procedures?

Research shows that therapy dogs can safely and effectively reduce anxiety. One study found that having a dog present during dental visits helped people feel less anxious. Another study also found that people felt less stressed and anxious around therapy dogs.

No major safety issues have been reported with therapy dogs in these situations. Trained to be calm and gentle, these dogs are used in hospitals with patients of all ages. While more research is needed specifically for children during dental visits, these findings suggest that therapy dogs are well-received and comforting. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the use of therapy dogs for situational anxiety because they offer a unique, non-pharmacological approach to calming patients. Unlike standard treatments, which often involve medication or basic behavior guidance, therapy dogs provide immediate emotional support through their presence. This method taps into the human-animal bond, potentially reducing anxiety without the side effects associated with medications. Additionally, therapy dogs can create a comforting environment that might enhance the overall patient experience during procedures like receiving local anesthesia.

What evidence suggests that therapy dogs might be an effective treatment for situational anxiety in children during dental procedures?

Studies have shown that therapy dogs can help reduce anxiety and stress. Specifically, therapy dogs have been linked to improvements in mental health, such as reduced anxiety and stress related to pain. Research indicates that therapy dogs can lower anxiety levels for patients in various stressful situations, including medical settings. In this trial, one group of children receiving dental work will have a therapy dog present during local anesthesia administration, while another group will receive standard-of-care basic behavior guidance. Previous findings suggest that therapy dogs might help calm children by distracting them from the stress of receiving an injection. Overall, having a therapy dog during dental procedures could be a promising way to reduce anxiety in children. ^{1 3 5 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

James R. Boynton, DDS, MS

Principal Investigator

University of Michigan

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for children who experience anxiety or behavioral issues when facing dental procedures that require local anesthesia. It's not specified who can't participate, so it's important to check with the study organizers for any exclusion criteria.

Inclusion Criteria

Consent: written informed consent from the parent or legal guardian

I am between 4 and 12 years old.

My child is scheduled for two dental procedures with local anesthesia.

Exclusion Criteria

My child has a behavior disorder that might not mix well with therapy dogs.

My parents are not comfortable with a therapy dog being present during my procedure.

My child needs special help to manage their behavior at the dentist.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive local anesthesia with or without the presence of a therapy dog

Single session

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for anxiety and behavior post-treatment

Immediate post-treatment

1 visit (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Therapy Dog

Trial Overview The trial is testing if having a therapy dog present can help reduce anxiety and improve behavior in kids during the administration of local anesthesia in dental settings compared to standard behavior guidance methods.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Therapy dog presence Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Therapy dog present during local anesthesia administration

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Standard-of-care basic behavior guidance during local anesthesia

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Michigan

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,891

Recruited

6,458,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A study involving 16 anxious children aged 6 to 12 showed that the presence of a certified therapy dog during dental examinations significantly improved patient compliance and satisfaction, with all participants completing their visits successfully.

Salivary cortisol levels, an indicator of stress, decreased more in the presence of the therapy dog (30% reduction) compared to when the dog was absent (20% reduction), suggesting that therapy dogs can help reduce anxiety in pediatric dental patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Intraoral clinical examinations of pediatric patients with anticipatory anxiety and situational fear facilitated by therapy dog assistance: A pilot RCT. Gussgard, AM., Carlstedt, K., Meirik, M.[2023]

In a pilot study involving 102 patients in psychiatric addiction treatment, the presence of a therapy dog significantly improved social interaction, ward atmosphere, and emotional competencies compared to a control group without the dog.

Patients reported a notable reduction in smoking and cravings when therapy dogs were present, indicating that animal-assisted therapy may enhance treatment outcomes in addiction settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Effects of an animal-assisted intervention on psychiatric in-patient addiction treatment - a pilot study]. Uhlmann, C., Nauss, C., Worbs, A., et al.[2022]

The study identifies four main categories of potential risks associated with having therapy dogs in dental clinics, including zoonotic pathogens, allergens, adverse animal behavior, and dangers from high activity in a crowded environment.

Despite these risks, the study concludes that they can be effectively managed through awareness and adherence to best practices by dental staff and dog handlers, ensuring a safe environment for both patients and the therapy dog.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dog-assisted therapy in the dental clinic: Part A-Hazards and assessment of potential risks to the health and safety of humans. Gussgard, AM., Weese, JS., Hensten, A., et al.[2023]

A study involving 230 hospitalized psychiatric patients found that a single session of animal-assisted therapy significantly reduced anxiety levels across various diagnoses, including psychotic and mood disorders.

In contrast, a regular therapeutic recreation session only reduced anxiety for patients with mood disorders, indicating that animal-assisted therapy may be more broadly effective for anxiety reduction in psychiatric patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effects of animal-assisted therapy on anxiety ratings of hospitalized psychiatric patients. Barker, SB., Dawson, KS.[2020]

Dental therapy dogs can help reduce anxiety in patients during dental visits, but there are potential health and safety risks for the dogs in the clinic environment, including allergies, sharps injuries, and stress from erratic patient behavior.

Implementing best practices, such as training for both clinic staff and dog handlers, can minimize these risks and ensure a safer experience for therapy dogs in dental settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dog-assisted therapy in the dental clinic. Part B. Hazards and assessment of potential risks to the health and safety of the dental therapy dog. Gussgard, AM., Weese, JS., Hensten, A., et al.[2023]

In a clinical trial with 80 emergency department patients, exposure to therapy dogs significantly reduced anxiety levels compared to usual care, with anxiety scores dropping from a median of 6 to 2 after 15 minutes with the dog.

Patients who interacted with therapy dogs also showed a trend towards lower pain medication use, with only 1 out of 40 needing pain relief compared to 7 out of 40 in the control group, suggesting potential benefits for pain management as well.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Controlled clinical trial of canine therapy versus usual care to reduce patient anxiety in the emergency department. Kline, JA., Fisher, MA., Pettit, KL., et al.[2020]

A systematic review of three studies involving 146 children found no significant evidence that animal-assisted therapy (AAT) reduces anxiety during dental treatments, as the anxiety levels were similar whether AAT was present or not.

The studies had a high risk of bias, particularly in randomization and outcome measurement, indicating a need for more rigorous research with larger sample sizes to better assess the efficacy of AAT in reducing anxiety in children during dental care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does use of animal therapy during dental care help to reduce anxiety in children and adolescents? A systematic review. Ribeiro, CDPV., Alves, JB., Kominami, PA., et al.[2023]

A study involving patients from Behavioral Health and Pediatrics units showed that spending time with a therapy dog significantly reduced anxiety levels, as measured by the State Anxiety Scale.

Both adult and child participants experienced a notable decrease in anxiety after a 15-minute interaction with the therapy dog, supporting the effectiveness of pet therapy as an intervention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Using Pet Therapy to Decrease Patients' Anxiety on Two Diverse Inpatient Units. Mulvaney-Roth, P., Jackson, C., Bert, L., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10986847/

The Role of Animal-Assisted Therapy in Enhancing ... Conclusions. The overall assessment of animal-assisted therapy shows promise as an effective intervention in promoting well-being among diverse populations.

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876382017301403

Animal-assisted therapy used for anxiety disorders in ... The aim of this observational study was to explore whether the level of anxiety decreased when a dog was present during therapy for people with learning ...

3. bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12906-025-04955-2

Canine-assisted therapy in reducing stress and anxiety levels ... Previous research has linked CAT and animal-assisted interventions to mental health improvements such as reduced anxiety and pain-related ...

4. psychiatryonline.org psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/ps.49.6.797

The Effects of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Anxiety Ratings ... Animal-assisted therapy was associated with reduced state anxiety levels for hospitalized patients with a variety of psychiatric diagnoses.

5. ejpd.eu ejpd.eu/pdf/EJPD_2024_2001.pdf

Dog-Assisted Therapy (DAT) for the management of ... Aim Distraction techniques in paediatric dentistry can be effective in decreasing the child's attention span from an unpleasant or stressful procedure.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6720307/

Dog-Assisted Therapy and Dental Anxiety: A Pilot Study This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dog-assisted therapy for individuals with a history of anxiety related to dental visits.

7. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT06812247?draw=2&rank=1

Therapy Dog Visits for Patients Hospitalized With ... Animal assisted therapy (AAT) with dogs has been shown to be beneficial for a wide range of patients with both acute and chronic illnesses, including spinal ...