Parental knowledge and attitudes toward conscious sedation in pediatric dentistry in Türkiye: a cross-sectional survey

Dental treatment in children is often complicated by anxiety, fear, and lack of cooperation, which may hinder the successful completion of procedures. Conscious sedation is widely used as an advanced behavior management technique to facilitate pediatric dental treatment. However, parental knowledge and perceptions of conscious sedation may influence clinical decision-making. This study aimed to evaluate parental knowledge and attitudes toward conscious sedation and their association with demographic factors and previous conscious sedation experience. This cross-sectional questionnaire study included parents of pediatric patients for whom conscious sedation was planned following clinical evaluation at the Departments of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Pediatric Dentistry of Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Dentistry. A 17-item questionnaire based on previously published surveys assessed demographic characteristics, knowledge about conscious sedation procedures, previous conscious sedation experience, safety perception, and attitudes toward conscious sedation. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Descriptive statistics, chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests, and Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons were used ( p < 0.05). A total of 422 questionnaires were analyzed. Limited parental knowledge regarding conscious sedation procedures was observed. Specifically, 40.8% were unsure whether conscious sedation meant the child would be completely asleep, 62.6% reported that they did not know the pre-sedation fasting requirements applied in the clinical protocol, and 51.7% were unsure whether local anesthesia would be required during conscious sedation. Additionally, 56.9% were uncertain about when their child could return to school. Parental education level and previous conscious sedation experience were significantly associated with several knowledge and attitude variables ( p < 0.05). Parents demonstrated notable gaps in knowledge regarding key aspects of conscious sedation in pediatric dental care. Educational level and previous conscious sedation experience were significantly associated with parental knowledge and attitudes. These findings highlight the need for improved parental education and communication regarding conscious sedation in pediatric dental practice.