White Coat Syndrome in Pediatric Dentistry: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: White Coat Syndrome is a condition of abnormally elevated blood pressure in clinical situations that is felt by patients when they see operators or medical personnel wearing white coats. The phenomenon of White Coat Syndrome is the same in pediatric patients as well as adult patients, which means an increase in blood pressure when in a medical facility such as a clinic when compared to the normal blood pressure of patients who are monitored during outpatient care or before entering the clinic. Some research results indicate that the increase in blood pressure due to this phenomenon is caused by neuro-endocrine reflexes facilitated by the sympathetic nervous system, which arises because of the patient's fear of being diagnosed with a new condition at the time of the examination. Aim: Knowing about White Coat Syndrome in pediatric dentistry and how to manage the condition. Methods: Data was collected by searching the literature on article search sites, namely Pubmed and Google Scholar published from 2016 to 2021, the search was carried out in January 2021. The search for data was carried out systematically using the keywords White Coat Syndrome in Dentistry and White Coat Hypertension in Dentistry. Result: There were 7 articles that discussed White Coat Syndrome in Pediatric Dentistry. Conclusion: White Coat Syndrome is a psychological condition that can have an impact on pediatric patients with cardiovascular disorders, and can be treated using practice-level management to overcome anxiety and fear that are the causes of White Coat Syndrome.