Prevalence of dental anxiety in two major cities in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Aims: The aim was to assess the level of dental anxiety in adult patients in two major cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and identify the etiological factors linked to this condition. Settings and Designs: A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire. Materials and Methods: A self-administered questionnaire based on the modified dental anxiety scale was distributed to dental patients who attended the dental clinics of the University of Dammam and King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, respectively. The questionnaire included information about socio-demographic factors and other questions indicative of dental anxiety. Results: A total of 132 forms was received from subjects in Dammam and 144 forms from Jeddah. The level of dental anxiety in patients was relatively higher (27.5%) than other studies. In this study, patients in Jeddah showed higher levels of dental anxiety than those in Dammam (31.9% vs. 22.7%). As expected, females demonstrated a higher level of anxiety than males (19.2% vs. 8.3%). Most of the participants who had severe dental anxiety thought a bad experience at the dentist was the main cause of their anxiety. Conclusions: Dental anxiety was perceived as a problem in the sample examined. This was clearly seen irrespective of age, gender, social status, and/or place of residence. Patients' fear of dental treatment continues to pose a great threat to the dental profession. Dental professionals are encouraged to further assess the extent of this problem in order to find methods and techniques to help patients overcome it.