[Fear of children at the dental office. A pain that isn't without remedy].

Fearful children in the dental office is an old problem which the majority of dentists have to face in their daily practice. With the help of a brief review of the literature, diverse strategies employed to adjust to the different behavior patterns of children in the dental office are detailed. Furthermore, to illustrate several of the techniques proposed, we have during the month of May 1990, systematically filmed different behavior patterns of children in the waiting room, as well as, in the dental operatory. The material thus obtained, permitted the production of videocassettes on the following themes: "How to approach the child in the dental office?"; "How to treat the young anxious child or a child with a difficult behavior pattern?"; "The first visit to the dentist"; "How to present dental injections?"; "The presence of parents in the dental operatory"; and, "Preventive dentistry". These cassettes are meant for dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, as well as, dental students. Moreover, in the hands of parents, this material answers their numerous questions. Each individual will find something in these presentations, or at least some areas for future exploration.