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Introduction: There is no agreed taxonomy of the techniques used to support patients to receive professional oral healthcare. This lack of specification leads to imprecision in describing, understanding, teaching and implementing behaviour support techniques in dentistry (DBS). Methods: This review aims to identify the labels and associated descriptors used by practitioners to describe DBS techniques, as a first step in developing a shared terminology for DBS techniques. Following registration of a protocol, a scoping review limited to Clinical Practice Guidelines only was undertaken to identify the labels and descriptors used to refer to DBS techniques. Results: From 5317 screened records, 30 were included, generating a list of 51 distinct DBS techniques. General anaesthesia was the most commonly reported DBS (n = 21). This review also explores what term is given to DBS techniques as a group (Behaviour management was most commonly used (n = 8)) and how these techniques were categorized (mainly distinguishing between pharmacological and non‐pharmacological). Conclusions: This is the first attempt to generate a list of techniques that can be selected for patients and marks an initial step in future efforts at agreeing and categorizing these techniques into an accepted taxonomy, with all the benefits this brings to research, education, practice and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To share the need for agreement in terminology around how people are supported to receive dental care. Method: In this position paper, we make the case for a shift in behavior support in dentistry from an art to a science. Results: We outline why we need agreement on the definition of behavior support across dentistry, agreement on underlying theory, aims and values, and why we need agreement on terms for specific techniques. Conclusions: We share how patients and dental teams can benefit through better science, education and practice of dental behaviour support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]