Assessment of Dental Anxiety towards Dental Care among Patients Attending Dental Institution in Bengaluru City

Background- Dental anxiety is a major hurdle when it comes to seeking early advice regarding oral and dental problem. It is a common observation that anxious patients defer their visit to dental practices till the time it becomes absolutely necessary to obtain dental treatment. Clinicians need to diagnose the condition and evaluate strategies to reduce it. Aim- The aim of the present study was to assess the dental anxiety levels towards dental treatment among the Patients attending dental institution Material and Methods -A cross sectional study was carried out for a period of three months i, e June to August 2017, study was conducted among 400 subjects (at least 18 years old) in dental institution in Bengaluru city. The data was collected using questionnaire consisting of Modified dental anxiety scale (MDAS). Statistical analysis- Chi-square test, Mann Whitney u test was performed to statistically analyze qualitative data. A p-value of 0.05 was considered. Results - In the present study female participants were more anxious compared to male participants. Highest mean MDAS score was seen for tomorrows dentist visit followed by scaling polishing, Extraction, Drilling and waiting room. CONCLUSION: This cross-sectional study supports associations between dental anxiety and avoidance of oral health care. It is recommended that promotion of oral health education and providing health care services helps patients to overcome the anxiety factor.