Introduction:

the goal of this study was to describe the social skills, behavior, and related problems of children during dental consultation at a teaching care center in the city of Cartagena, Colombia.

Methods:

this was a cross sectional study in 205 children aged 5 to 8 years receiving dental treatment in the area of study and evaluated by the Frankl scale, the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (PKBS), and a survey about family and socio-demographic factors. The analysis was performed by means of averages (±DE), t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (Anova), and Chi square tests.

Results:

the Frankl scale showed higher positive behaviors. The findings obtained in the social skills dimension for the "help a friend in trouble" item showed higher averages as age progressed: age 5 (1.46), age 6 (1.57), age 7 (1.74), age 8 (1.77) (p<0.03). There was a difference for the type of clinic where care was provided (p<0.05). Concerning behavioral problems, some items showed differences in terms of age (p<0.05), sex (p<0.05), and type of clinic (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

some environmental factors and personal relationships influence the social skills, behavior, and related problems in children.

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