Assessing the change in the anxiety of patients for a dental procedure before and after the elucidation of the procedure.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate anxiety levels among patients before and after receiving an explanation of dental procedures. Additionally, we aimed to explore variations in anxiety across different dental departments. Study Design: A total of 238 patients visiting the Foundation University College of Dentistry & Hospital participated in this study. Each patient completed a questionnaire with two sections: the first section collected sociodemographic details, while the second section included the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scale one before the elucidation of the procedure and one after it. Results: Before procedure elucidation, 65.5% of patients reported low anxiety, 31.9% had moderate anxiety, and 2.5% experienced severe anxiety. However, after receiving an explanation, the percentage of severe anxiety decreased significantly to 0.2%, moderate anxiety reduced to 15.1%, and 83.2% of patients reported low anxiety. This substantial change highlights the positive impact of procedure elucidation on anxiety reduction. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that providing patients with a clear understanding of dental procedures significantly contributes to anxiety reduction. By addressing patient concerns and ensuring transparency, healthcare providers can enhance patient comfort during dental treatments.