Factors influencing dental phobia and screening behavior of patients in oral surgery practice

Abstract

Background Despite efforts by dentists and patients to establish trust, dental visits continue to be anxiety-inducing. The frequency of dental treatment sought is influenced by this fear, impacting long-term oral health. This study aimed to use the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) to identify fearful patients at a dental surgery clinic, exploring correlations with preventive behavior, gender, age, and education. Methods The study enrolled 102 consecutive outpatients at a private dental clinic in Sachsen, Germany, with participants aged 16 and above. Adolescents and parents provided written informed consent and assent. A meticulously crafted questionnaire, featuring numerous questions, aimed to evaluate dental patients' anxiety levels and their oral health behavior. Assessment of anxiety considered factors such as age, gender, educational qualification, fear of dental treatment, frequency of teeth brushing, instances of canceled or missed dental appointments due to anxiety, and the timing of the last dental visit. Results Comparing all scales according to low and high anxiety, the mean score of the whole group of DAS was with a high significance from somatization, depressiveness and anxiety. Significantly more time had passed since the last dental visit for most patients. Patients who had a higher anxiety level based on the DAS categorization were also less likely to have tartar removed and to have professional dental cleaning performed. Conclusion Dental treatment anxiety has no influence on preventive behavior, except for the questions that are also related to dental treatment anxiety ("Are you afraid of dental treatment?").