Influência dos pais no comportamento infantil no atendimento odontológico.

Child behavior in the dental office is one of the greatest challenges faced by pediatric dentistry and results from the interaction of individual, family, and treatment-related factors. Among these factors, the conduct of parents and caregivers stands out, since adult anxiety, fear, and previous experiences affect the way the child reacts to care. This article aimed to analyze, through an integrative literature review, the influence of parents on child behavior during dental care. The search was conducted in the PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, BVS, and Google Scholar databases, considering publications between 2007 and 2025, in Portuguese and English. The analyzed studies demonstrated that parental anxiety, especially maternal anxiety, is associated with children's dental fear and anxiety, although some research does not definitively confirm this relationship. The presence of caregivers during the appointment, previous dental experiences, and the family upbringing style proved to be elements capable of favoring or hindering the child patient's adaptation. It was also found that about one third of children experience dental fear and anxiety, which reinforces the magnitude of the problem. It is concluded that the prior guidance of caregivers, early contact with the dental environment, and the use of non-pharmacological behavior management techniques are effective strategies to reduce anxiety and promote humanized care in pediatric dentistry.