Dental fear can come from different sources. It can result from direct negative experience in the dental environment in the patient’s past. It can result from negative experiences of a friend or family member. It can result from negative media coverage of dentistry. Most fear behaviours are not socially acceptable; however dental fears are socially acceptable. This social acceptability makes it easier for individuals to rationalise their fear behaviour. It makes it easier to develop and maintain the fear. It also makes the job of the clinician more difficult in any attempt to overcome the fear so that treatment may be facilitated.
Test your level of dental anxiety using the short questionnaire below.
If you had to go to the dentist tomorrow for a check-up, how would you feel about it?
a. I would look forward to it as a reasonably enjoyable experience. b. I wouldn't care one way or the other. c. I would be a little uneasy about it. d. I would be afraid that it would be unpleasant and painful. e. I would be very frightened of what the dentist would do.
2.
When you are waiting in the dentist's office for your turn in the chair, how do you feel?
a. Relaxed. b. A little uneasy. c. Tense. d. Anxious. e. So anxious that I sometimes break out in a sweat or almost feel physically sick.
3.
When you are in the dentist's chair waiting while the dentist gets the drill ready to begin working on your teeth, how do you feel?
a. Relaxed. b. A little uneasy. c. Tense. d. Anxious. e. So anxious that I sometimes break out in a sweat or almost feel physically sick.
4.
Imagine you are in the dentist's chair to have your teeth cleaned. While you are waiting and the dentist or hygienist is getting out the instruments which will be used to scrape your teeth around the gums, how do you feel?
a. Relaxed. b. A little uneasy. c. Tense. d. Anxious. e. So anxious that I sometimes break out in a sweat or almost feel physically sick.
Scoring the Dental Anxiety Scale, Revised (DAS-R) (this information is not printed on the form that patients see) a = 1, b = 2, c = 3, d = 4, e = 5 Total possible = 20 Anxiety rating: • 9 - 12 = moderate anxiety but have specific stressors that should be discussed and managed • 13 - 14 = high anxiety • 15 - 20 = severe anxiety (or phobia).
