Background

Controversy exists on acceptability of medical immobilization (MI).

Aim

To identify regulations, professional conventions and opinions on acceptability of MI and to identify practice patterns through a pilot study of members of the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry (IAPD) and their colleagues.

Design

A 22-item questionnaire was developed and electronically distributed to 1,191 members of IAPD.

Results

Responses were received from 182 dentists in 45 countries. The majority (74.9%) of respondents use MI and 29.1% use an immobilization device. MI with an immobilization device was reported as professionally acceptable (58.1%) and permitted by medico-legal regulations (70.8%) in their countries of practice. Dentists rated acceptability higher than they perceived parents would overall and perceived MI to be more acceptable by parents for emergency situations and for children with special health care needs but 19.8% of respondents found it totally unacceptable in all scenarios. Use and opinions of acceptability varied by geographical location with respondents from North America being more accepting of MI. Most dentists felt that use of an immobilization device could lead to lasting psychological trauma (72.3%) and violation of the rights of the child (55.4%) but that it improves access to care (58.5%).

Conclusions

Acceptability of MI remains an area of controversy for pediatric dentists internationally.