Assessment of Dental Anxiety Levels among Students of Medical and Dental Sciences

Abstract

Objective: This study was designed to look in the subjective ratings of dental anxiety levels among health care students (both dental and medical students) of a public sector University hospital and explore the difference in terms of their age, gender and their health related field of study. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted on medical and dental students of Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi (n=315). Dental anxiety level of the study participants was evaluated by using Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). Results: Two hundred (n=200) participants completed the questionnaire with 63.5% response rate. Out of the total 59% belonged to dental whereas 41% belonged to medical field. Only 3% of the total was observed to have mean anxiety score of < 5. On the other hand majority (90%) suffered from slight-to-fair anxiety and only 7% were observed as dental phobic (extreme anxiety). Statistically significant differences (p <0.05) in ranked mean anxiety scores were observed according to gender, age group and field of study differences respectively. Conclusion: It was concluded from the present study that female dental students of age group ≤ 21 years scored higher dental anxiety scores than medical male counter group of same age group. Particularly females were found to be more fearful of local anesthesia injection.