Evaluation of Dental Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Different Dental Treatments – A Prospective Study

Objective: This cross-sectional survey-based study aimed to investigate the levels of dental anxiety among patients undergoing various dental treatments and to identify potential factors associated with dental anxiety. Methods: A total of 322 volunteer participants, aged 18-70 years, were recruited from İstanbul Aydın University Faculty of Dentistry Hospital. Participants completed the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and a supplementary questionnaire to assess their dental anxiety levels and related factors. Statistical significance was set at P<.05. Results: The mean MDAS score was highest among individuals aged 18-24 years and lowest among those aged 65-70 years. Dental anxiety was significantly associated with gender economic status, oral hygiene awareness, and past dental experiences (P<.05) but not with age, education level, marital status, or number of dental visits (P>.05). Implant and tooth extraction treatments elicited the highest anxiety levels. Approximately half of the participants reported mild stress levels before the dental treatment day and while in the waiting room. Female participants had significantly higher mean MDAS scores compared to males (P= .001). Conclusion: Dental anxiety was found to be affected by gender, economic status, oral hygiene awareness, and past dental treatment experiences, but not by education level, age, marital status, or number of dental visits. This study contributes to the understanding of dental anxiety and its associated factors. The findings can inform targeted interventions to alleviate anxiety and improve oral health outcomes in diverse patient populations. Keywords: Demographic factors, dental anxiety, dental treatments, Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS)