This article is a shortened and adapted translation in Dutch of an opinion paper in the British Dental Journal. The article describes the benefits and rationales of conscious sedation with restraint versus general anaesthesia, in order to assist parents and dentists in the process of decision making whether general anaesthesia or conscious sedation should be given to young children. The author stresses that the English author’s point is not fully objective. In the Netherlands, treatment of children during conscious sedation or general anaesthesia is less available, but availability wil l improve shortly. The most preferable approach is still prevention of dental problems in young children.