J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2020 Dec 1;44(6):407-411. doi: 10.17796/1053-4625-44.6.3.
Dental student's dental anxiety may negatively affect patient's attitude towards dental treatment. We evaluated dental anxiety among dental students in different clinical stage of their studies. We assessed the student's anxiety prior to treating patients.
A cross-sectional study. Fourth to sixth-year dental students completed questionnaires containing: 1) Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS); 2) Dental Fear Survey (DFS); and 3) visual analogue scale questions relating to the student's anxiety when performing dental treatments in children and adults.
124 dental students completed the questionnaires (mean age, 26.4±3.1 years, 59.7% women). Average DAS in the study population was 7.55±2.15 with similar scores observed across the years. Average DFS score was highest among fourth-year students (1.62±0.65) and lowest among sixth year students (1.36±0.32). DFS scores decreased as the students progressed through the clinical years (p=0.059). The students' average anxiety scores prior to treating children were significantly higher than the anxiety scores prior to treating adults (3.82±2.42 vs. 2.67±1.9, p<0.001). Fifth-year students had significantly higher anxiety scores prior to treating children and adults compared to fourth and sixth-year students.
Dental anxiety among dental students is relatively low and decreases gradually as they progress through the clinical years. Anxiety prior to treating patients, particularly children, is at its highest just before starting to treat patients for the first time. As dental students are future healthcare providers, it is important that they learn techniques to help them manage their own dental anxiety and fear as well as deal with anxiety related to treating patients.
牙科学生的牙科焦虑可能会对患者对牙科治疗的态度产生负面影响。我们评估了不同临床学习阶段的牙科学生的牙科焦虑。我们在治疗患者之前评估了学生的焦虑程度。
横断面研究。四至六年级的牙科学生完成了包含以下内容的问卷：1）牙科焦虑量表（DAS）；2）牙科恐惧量表（DFS）；3）与学生在儿童和成人中进行牙科治疗时的焦虑相关的视觉模拟量表问题。
124 名牙科学生完成了问卷（平均年龄 26.4±3.1 岁，女性占 59.7%）。研究人群的平均 DAS 为 7.55±2.15，各年级得分相似。平均 DFS 得分在四年级学生中最高（1.62±0.65），在六年级学生中最低（1.36±0.32）。随着学生进入临床学年，DFS 得分下降（p=0.059）。学生在治疗儿童前的平均焦虑评分明显高于治疗成人前的焦虑评分（3.82±2.42 与 2.67±1.9，p<0.001）。五年级学生在治疗儿童和成人前的焦虑评分明显高于四年级和六年级学生。
牙科学生的牙科焦虑相对较低，随着他们在临床学年的进展而逐渐降低。在开始首次治疗患者之前，他们在治疗患者前的焦虑程度最高，尤其是在治疗儿童患者之前。由于牙科学生是未来的医疗保健提供者，因此重要的是，他们学习技巧来帮助他们管理自己的牙科焦虑和恐惧，并处理与治疗患者相关的焦虑。
