VALIDATION AND RELIABILITY OF A GUIDED QUESTIONNAIRE (GQ) FOR TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS (T1DM) CHILDREN AND PARENTS ON PERIODONTAL DISEASE (PD) The prevalence of PD is notably high in individuals with T1DM. Despite this, there is a limited availability of research on the utilization of questionnaires to evaluate self-perceived PD, patient knowledge, and their perception of PD in T1DM patients. Therefore, our objective was to establish validity and reliability of a bilingual (English-Malay) version of the guided questionnaire (GQ) to be used among pediatric T1DM patients attending Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sungai Buloh campus and the Universiti Malaya (UM). This questionnaire focused on self-reported periodontal disease (PD), assessing their knowledge, and understanding of the bidirectional relationship between PD and T1DM. The dual-language GQ was adapted from the Self-Reported Questionnaire Malay Modified (SRQMM) to suit the targeted participants. Content validation was carried out among five field experts, and face validation was done among pediatric patients in Dental Faculty UiTM. Reliability testing was administered in T1DM patients attending UiTM and UM. The structure and words of the component in GQ were modified to ensure that it was appropriate for the participants. The item-level Content Validity Index (I-CVI) turned out to be valid with an average of 0.98. The subjective measurement of face validation showed satisfactory results after the second revision. Reliability concerning Cronbach’s alpha (α) values was computed relying on all 21 items, which were acceptable at about 0.777, 0.644, 0.780 in the self-perceived PD assessment domain, knowledge domain and perception domain, respectively. Hence, the adapted dual language paediatrics version of the GQ is a reliable and valid tool for assessing self-perceived PD, knowledge, and perception in T1DM patients on PD and it can be effectively utilized by non-dental healthcare personnel.

THE USE OF HYPNOSIS AS AN ADJUNCT TO NITROUS OXIDE/OXYGEN SEDATION: A CASE SERIES It is known that managing patients with dental fear and anxiety is challenging for clinicians and patients. This series of case reports highlights the importance and benefits of dental management under clinical hypnosis as an adjunct to nitrous oxide inhalation sedation for ages six to fifteen. These treatments range from pulp therapy, extraction and minor oral surgery. Customised hypnosis scripts were utilised for each patient, and the metaphors used were tailored to the patient’s interest and preference. The intended treatment was successfully carried out in all the patients. Five cases discussed in this case series were initially indicated for treatment under general anaesthesia, but treatment was successfully carried out using hypnosis and nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation. In the two surgical cases, nitrous oxide was tapered off once local anaesthesia was achieved, and the state of relaxation was maintained using a hypnotic trance, reducing the anaesthetic agent’s utilisation. Hypnosis successfully reduces patients’ anxiety, allowing them to feel more relaxed and confident about accepting future dental treatment without the need for pharmacological intervention.

PRELIMINARY EXPLORATION OF PARENTING STYLES AND CHILDREN'S DENTAL ANXIETY IN MALAYSIA: INSIGHTS FROM UITM PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY CLINIC Parenting styles play a crucial role in shaping children's behaviour and anxiety levels, but there is limited information on this aspect in Asian countries, particularly Malaysia. This pilot study aims to examine parenting styles among Malaysian parents and their potential correlation with children's dental anxiety. A pilot study was conducted involving 30 parent-child pairs attending the UiTM Paediatric Dentistry Clinic. Participants aged 5 to 12 years completed the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ) and the Malay Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDASf). Parenting styles were classified based on PSDQ scores, and dental anxiety levels were assessed using MCDASf. Parents exhibited a predominant authoritative parenting style. Pearson’s correlation revealed a positive association between MCDASf and parenting styles in two items. However, linear regression analysis demonstrated no substantial correlation between PSDQ domains and children's total anxiety scores (R2 = 14.1%). This suggests that, in this preliminary study, parenting styles did not significantly impact children's dental anxiety. The pilot study did not find a direct association between parenting styles and dental anxiety in children. The limited sample size may have affected the ability to detect subtle associations. Further investigation, possibly through qualitative research or more detailed surveys, is recommended to explore additional factors contributing to dental anxiety in children.

ORAL HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND TYPICALLY DEVELOPING PEERS: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY AT UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may not manifest distinct oral characteristics related to ASD, yet the disorder itself could impact their oral health. This case-control study aimed to assess and compare oral hygiene, dental caries, and periodontal status between children with and without ASD. Twenty-eight children with ASD and thirty without ASD (aged 3 to 16 years) attending the paediatric dentistry clinic at UiTM, Sungai Buloh campus, underwent clinical oral examinations. Parameters included Modified Gingival Index (MGI), simplified Basic Periodontal Examination (sBPE), Oral Hygiene-Simplified Index (OHI-S), DMFT, and dmft scores. Chi-square and independent t test were used to compare the two groups. p values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Children with ASD showed a higher prevalence of poor oral hygiene (3.6%) compared to those without ASD (0.0%). MGI indicated a higher percentage of moderate inflammation in children with ASD (3.6%). sBPE revealed higher rates of bleeding on probing (67.9%) and calculus deposits (28.6%) in children with ASD compared to those without ASD (60.0% and 20.0%, respectively). Children with ASD showed a higher mean (SD) DMFT of 1.57 (3.9) compared to those without ASD, 0.83 (1.67), and children without ASD had a higher mean (SD) dmft of 5.87 (5.78) in contrast to children with ASD, 4.5 (5.45). These differences did not reach statistical significance. Despite the numerical variations, it was not statistically confirmed that children with ASD are at a significantly higher risk of dental caries and periodontal diseases. Early detection of risk factors for these conditions in children with ASD is crucial for preventive interventions.

INTERPRETATION OF EMOJI® IN MALAY LANGUAGE AMONG CHILDREN IN MALAYSIA The existing dental anxiety scales for paediatric patients tend to categorize and label children according to their level of cooperation. However, human emotions are more complex, and each child is unique. Hence, a more dynamic and interactive method should be introduced for a better understanding of the patient’s current state of emotion. The aim of this study was to investigate the interpretation and understanding of children towards frequently used emoji® for the development of an emoji® dental emotional spectrum. Both online and physical surveys were conducted among 147 Malay language-speaking children aged between 4-to-16 years in Malaysia. The children were asked to interpret 30 pre-selected emoji® images in their own words using the Malay Language. The pre-selected emoji® represent happiness, neutral, fear, sadness, and anger. The interpretations were subsequently based on their similar meaning, a process that was validated by two experts in the field of linguistics. The study involved participants with an average age of 9.2 years, with the majority of them being female (61.2%). Of the 30 pre-selected emoji® images used in this study, 13 had respondent agreement exceeding 60% which was the threshold set for suitability for use in evaluating dental emotion. The remaining 17 emoji® images have a remarkable variability in the interpretation which indicates potential misinterpretation by the respondents. The 13 emoji® images range from happiness, neutral, fear, dislike, unhappy, sad, anxious, and angry with the emoji® images which represent “excited” (94.0%), “loudly crying” (97.3%) and “angry” (91.8%) had the highest agreement. Meanwhile, the emoji® images represented “confounded” and “downcast” had the least agreement among respondents (1.3%). Despite the universal meaning imposed by emoji®, the interpretations may vary in different populations and age groups. Emoji® images hold the potential to serve as a valuable tool for identifying and managing children’s behaviour.