Dental anxiety at Riyadh Elm University Clinics

Abstract

Context: Anxious patients are difficult to manage and tend to avoid dental treatment. Aim: The aim of this study is to explore dental anxiety (DA) among patients visiting Riyadh Elm University (REU) clinics. Materials and Methods: Dental patients were first oriented about the purpose of the study and then signed consent before filling a ten-item quantitative DA questionnaire that included demographic variables of age, gender, and educational level. Responses were scored on a scale of 1–4 for each question, and an overall questionnaire score of 40 was obtained. Low anxiety was considered with at or below 15, moderate anxiety between 16 and 27, and high anxiety at or above 28. Statistical analysis was performed with frequencies and cross-tabulation by Chi-square and Student's t-test. Results: Of 365 respondents, the majority (50.1%, n = 183) showed moderate anxiety followed by 104 participants (28.5%) showing high anxiety while only 78 participants (21.4%) exhibited low DA. Among the high DA group, 81% were female (n = 84) while 19% were male (n = 20) and this difference was statistically significant. High DA was recorded in patients aged 13–18 (25%) and 19–25 years (27%) compared to other age groups; however, the difference was statistically insignificant. Furthermore, schoolchildren demonstrated high DA (53%) compared to other educational levels, yet the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: A considerable number of patients attending REU dental clinics exhibited DA that was more intense among female patients, younger age groups, and the less educated individuals.