The Prevalence of Dental Anxiety among Dental Patients in Qassim Region

Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of dental anxiety among patients visiting dental clinics in Al-Qassim region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: The 377 participants were selected from three major cities of Al-Qassim region - Buridah, Onizah, and Alrass. A self-administered questionnaire based on Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) was used to gather the responses of the participants. The questionnaires were handed to respondents during their regular visits to the dental clinics.

Results: The findings of the study revealed that 18% of the sample population suffer from severe dental anxiety. The analysis showed that feelings associated with anesthetic injection are the most-anxiety provoking factor while the next day visit is the least anxiety-provoking item. The findings show that female participants (M = 3.1, p = .001) significantly manifest more dental anxiety than their male counterparts (M = 2.8, p = .001). The younger participants demonstrate higher dental anxiety than other age groups.

Conclusion: The dental anxiety exists in the sample population. Gender and age are associated with varying MDAS scores.