Abstract
BackgroundWhile adult women show greater dental anxiety than adult men, few studies have examined gender differences in adolescent perceptions of dentists. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the gender differences in adolescents’ perceptions toward dentists by using the Japanese version of the Dental Beliefs Survey (DBS) and the factor structure of the DBS.MethodsWe conducted surveys at schools, and 957 Japanese adolescents (403 girls and 554 boys, aged between 13 and 15 years) participated in this study. To assess their confidence in dentists, participants were asked to complete the self-reported, 15-item Japanese version of the DBS. We performed a Welch’s t-test and a one-way analysis of variance to assess differences in DBS scores by gender and age. Factor analysis (principal components, varimax rotation) was used to assess the scale’s factor structure.ResultsA significant gender difference was observed in the DBS scores (P = 0.018), suggesting that boys exhibit greater negative perceptions toward the behavior of dentists than girls. However, there was no significant difference found among ages. The factor analysis yielded two results: Factor 1, “trust” (seven items); and Factor 2, “lack of control” (five items). Notably, the factor structure differed according to gender. As such, by including only factors with eigenvalues above 1.0, the DBS for girls comprised “trust” (seven items) and “communication” (three items), while that for boys comprised “lack of control” (six items) and “belittlement” (six items).ConclusionsThis study identified two factors of differing strengths pertaining to the confidence of Japanese adolescents in dentists. Gender differences in perceptions toward dentists were observed. Accounting for these differences may improve the effectiveness of strategies to lower dental anxiety and foster positive dental beliefs in young patients.
Highlights
While adult women show greater dental anxiety than adult men, few studies have examined gender differences in adolescent perceptions of dentists
This study aims to evaluate the confidence in dentists of Japanese-speaking adolescents using a Japanese translation of the Dental Beliefs Survey (DBS), examine the factor structure of the Japanese version of the DBS, and assess the gender differences
DBS score by age and gender The mean age of all participants was 14.1 ± 0.8 years
Summary
While adult women show greater dental anxiety than adult men, few studies have examined gender differences in adolescent perceptions of dentists. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the gender differences in adolescents’ perceptions toward dentists by using the Japanese version of the Dental Beliefs Survey (DBS) and the factor structure of the DBS. The survey questions are designed to help dental professionals tailor their approach to best address the specific concern of the patient [4], so, in that way, it is more useful than a standard fear or anxiety questionnaire as it is more focused on the effects from the dentist’s specific behavior
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