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The main purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of dental anxiety in the Netherlands by means of both a nationwide representative sample and a valid measurement instrument. The secondary aim was to discriminate between patients with high and low levels of dental anxiety on the basis of socioeconomic and oral health variables. Results showed that about 40% of the Dutch population experience a considerable degree of anxiety about dental treatment, and more than half of them can be considered as highly anxious. Dental anxiety is related to sex, age, and oral health status. Individual most prone to experience dental anxiety are women between 26 and 35 yr of age who do not visit a dentist regularly, live in one of the big cities, have a moderate or high educational level, are Public Health Insurance (Ziekenfonds) patients with a minimum income, judge their oral health as bad, and do not attach much importance to the preservation of their teeth.

Although the existence of selective non-response cannot be excluded, its relevance can be considered to be small. This finding is encouraging for the use of empirical utility values in allocative decisions.