PREVALENCE OF DENTAL ANXIETY AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN PATIENTS ATTENDING A TERTIARY CARE DENTAL HOSPITAL
Main Article Content
Keywords
Dental anxiety, Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, tertiary care hospital, prevalence study, sociodemographic factors
Abstract
Dental anxiety represents a significant barrier to oral healthcare utilization, leading to treatment avoidance and deteriorating oral health. Despite its clinical importance, limited research has examined dental anxiety prevalence and associated factors in tertiary care dental hospitals in Maharashtra. This study assessed the prevalence of dental anxiety and identified sociodemographic and clinical correlates among patients attending a tertiary care facility.
Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2017 to March 2018 at N. K. P. Salve Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre and Lata Mangeshkar Hospital, Nagpur, Maharashtra. Using consecutive sampling, 468 adult patients were recruited. Data were collected through structured questionnaires incorporating sociodemographic information, clinical characteristics, and the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, independent t-tests, ANOVA, and logistic regression using SPSS version 20.0.
Results: The overall prevalence of dental anxiety was 60.3% (95% CI: 55.8-64.7%), with 18.4% experiencing high anxiety. The mean MDAS score was 13.42 ± 5.68. Females demonstrated significantly higher anxiety than males (p<0.001). Dental anxiety decreased with advancing age and increasing education levels. Past negative dental experiences were strongly associated with elevated anxiety (p<0.001). Local anesthetic injections (mean score 3.42) and tooth drilling (2.96) emerged as the most anxiety-provoking procedures. Significant associations were found between dental anxiety and monthly income, previous dental visits, reason for visit, and self-perceived oral health status.
Conclusion: High prevalence of dental anxiety among tertiary care patients necessitates systematic screening protocols and targeted interventions, particularly for younger females with limited dental experience and lower socioeconomic status.
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Dr. Dinesh Solanki
Assistant Professor, Department of Dentistry, N. K. P. Salve Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre And Lata Mangeshkar Hospital, Maharashtra, India.