ASSESSMENT OF DENTAL ANXIETY LEVELS AMONG PATIENTS TREATED BY UNDERGRADUATE DENTAL STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Keywords:
Cross-Sectional Studies, Anxiety, Dental Care, Dental Patients, Dental Students, Fear, Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, Oral Surgery, Patient Communication, Psychological StressAbstract
Background: Dental anxiety is a significant barrier to effective oral health care, often leading to delayed treatment and compromised patient outcomes. Anxiety may be amplified in settings where undergraduate dental students provide care due to perceived operator inexperience and procedural uncertainty.
Objective: To measure dental anxiety levels among patients receiving treatment from undergraduate dental students and to identify demographic and clinical factors associated with heightened anxiety.
Methods This cross-sectional investigation was carried out across a five-month period at a dental teaching institution located in Rawalpindi. A sample of 220 adult patients was recruited through stratified random sampling. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), a validated instrument comprising five items, was utilized to measure dental anxiety levels. Information regarding demographic characteristics (age, gender, educational attainment) and clinical factors (previous dental history and nature of the planned treatment) was recorded. Data analysis was performed with SPSS version 26. Statistical techniques, including independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation, were employed to examine relationships between anxiety scores and the collected variables, with statistical significance defined as .
Results: The mean MDAS score was 13.7 ± 4.5, reflecting moderate anxiety. High anxiety (MDAS ≥19) was observed in 18.6% of participants. Females (14.5 ± 4.6) reported significantly higher anxiety than males (12.6 ± 4.2; p = 0.014). Patients with no prior dental experience demonstrated greater anxiety (15.9 ± 4.1) compared with those previously treated (12.8 ± 4.3; p < 0.001). Oral surgical procedures elicited the highest anxiety (16.4 ± 4.8), while restorative treatments were associated with the lowest scores (12.5 ± 3.9).
Conclusion: Dental anxiety remains prevalent among patients treated by undergraduate dental students and is influenced by gender, prior dental experience, education level, and type of procedure. Targeted communication and behavioral interventions are recommended to reduce patient anxiety and enhance clinical outcomes.
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