Indicators of Dental Anxiety in Children Just Prior to Treatment

Objectives: We evaluated the relationship between child dental anxiety and selected child and parental characteristics. Study design: Children and their parents were interviewed at the New York University, College of Dentistry, Pediatric Dentistry Clinic. The Children's Fear Survey Schedule - Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) evaluated child self-reported anxiety; the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) measured self-reported parental anxiety when the parent received dental treatment. Results: Ninety-three children and their parents completed the questionnaires. Mean CFSS-DS scores were higher for girls than boys (32.5 vs. 26.3, p=0.003) and for children whose accompanying parents had MDAS scores of 11+ vs. ≯11 (32.8 vs. 26.6, p=0.001). There was little difference in mean CFSS-DS scores among those aged 6-10 yrs. vs. 11-14 yrs. (30.1 vs. 29.3). Significant correlations were found between CFSS-DS and both gender (Spearman's rho, r_s=0.31) and MDAS scores (r_s=0.33), but not between CFSS-DS and child age (r_s=-0.05). Controlling simultaneously for gender, MDAS score and child age, a high CFSS-DS score (38+ vs. ≯38) was positively associated with girls (OR_adj=3.76, 95% CI: 1.13-12.54) and an MDAS score of ≤15 vs. ≯11 (OR_adj=2.50, 0.73-8.54), but weakly and inversely associated with age (OR_adj=0.80, 0.25-2.52). Conclusion: Child gender and parental anxiety are indicators of child dental anxiety.

children’s dental anxiety, maternal anxiety, CFSS-DS

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