The management of dental anxiety: time for a sense of proportion?

Newton, Tim; Asimakopoulou, Koula; Daly, Blánaid; Scambler, Sasha; Scott, Suzanne E.

doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.2012.830

Cited by 99 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…150,151 Voice control Voice control is a punishment technique involving a controlled alteration of voice volume, tone, or pace which, more specifically, equates to issuing commands in a loud voice in order to reduce a child's disruptive behaviour. 152 The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends voice control as an approach to influencing and directing children's behaviour. 73 This is consistent with findings from both the UK, indicating that many dentists are comfortable using voice control 153 and use it frequently, 154 and evidence from US dentists indicating that voice control is preferred as the first alternative to the now unacceptable hand-over-mouth exercise as a behaviour management technique.…”

Section: Restraintmentioning

confidence: 99%

Management of fear and anxiety in the dental clinic: a review

2013

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People who are highly anxious about undergoing dental treatment comprise approximately one in seven of the population and require careful and considerate management by dental practitioners. This paper presents a review of a number of non-pharmacological (behavioural and cognitive) techniques that can be used in the dental clinic or surgery in order to assist anxious individuals obtain needed dental care. Practical advice for managing anxious patients is provided and the evidence base for the various approaches is examined and summarized. The importance of firstly identifying dental fear and then understanding its aetiology, nature and associated components is stressed. Anxiety management techniques range from good communication and establishing rapport to the use of systematic desensitization and hypnosis. Some techniques require specialist training but many others could usefully be adopted for all dental patients, regardless of their known level of dental anxiety. It is concluded that successfully managing dentally fearful individuals is achievable for clinicians but requires a greater level of understanding, good communication and a phased treatment approach. There is an acceptable evidence base for several non-pharmacological anxiety management practices to help augment dental practitioners providing care to anxious or fearful children and adults.

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Section: Restraintmentioning

confidence: 99%

Management of fear and anxiety in the dental clinic: a review

2013

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“…Furthermore, dental fear still presents a major barrier to the uptake of dental treatment. In commissioning and developing dental services due consideration should be given to addressing the needs of all patients with dental anxiety [20]. In this study there was a significant negative correlation between anxiety and satisfaction in both dental students and their patients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 67%

Study the Effects of Communication Skills Training on Satisfaction and Anxiety Level of Dentistry Students and their Patients.

Moosavi¹,

Narimani²,

Vosugh³

2015

Journal of Dentistry and Oral Care Medicine

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Patient anxiety about the dental procedures is one of the most common problems in this profession. Most people avoid going to a dentist because of their fear and anxiety. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of communication skills training concerning satisfaction and anxiety level of dental students and their patients. The Ethics Committee of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in Iran (no 86379) approved this study. In this controlled experimental clinical study, fifty-one last year dental students of Mashhad University and one hundred fifty-three patients were participated. Through use of an Anxiety standard questionnaire and school average of scores, data were collected about the level of satisfaction and anxiety and scientific and practical skills. Students of the experimental group took part in the communication skills workshop. The questionnaires were collected and because of ethic principles, participants were identified with numeric codes. Data were analyzed with t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient. There was a significant difference between satisfaction of interventional and control group. The communication skills workshop increased satisfaction of dental students (p=0/024). There was a negative correlation between anxiety and satisfaction (p-value=0.030, r=0.305). There was no significant difference between patients' satisfaction, patients' anxiety students' anxiety in the experimental and control group. Communication skills workshop increased the satisfaction of students but there was no effect on patients' satisfaction. There was a significant negative correlation between anxiety and satisfaction in both dental students and their patients. Communication skills increased the students' satisfaction, had an indirect effect on their anxiety level, and decreased it. Communication skills workshop is useful for dental students and their patient and would have good effects on doctor-patient correlation.

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“…The findings from this evaluation support the argument that dental professionals who deliver psychological interventions to dentally anxious adults should have regular access to supervision and support from specialist psychological services. 5 Referring practitioners and staff working within the NDAMS expressed concern over waiting times for patients and there was recognition that more in-depth assessment at triage and throughout treatment could help identify those patients who may not be suitable for the NDAMS earlier, reducing waiting lists and drop-out rates. Previous research suggests that non-attendance, poor engagement and drop-outs rates for CBTbased treatment can range between 20% and 50%, which highlights the importance of the early identification of patients most likely to benefit from CBT-based approaches.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…3 4 Dental services need to use care pathways that combine the use of pharmacological approaches for patients with urgent or high treatment need with psychological interventions to help patients better manage their anxiety longer term. [5][6][7] Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for a number of anxiety-based conditions 8 9 and effective at reducing dental fear in adults. 3 4 10 However, the demand for CBT practitioners and psychological services often outweighs the resources available.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%