UK population norms for the modified dental anxiety scale with percentile calculator: adult dental health survey 2009 results

Abstract

BackgroundA recent UK population survey of oral health included questions to assess dental anxiety to provide mean and prevalence estimates of this important psychological construct.MethodsA two-stage cluster sample was used for the survey across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The survey took place between October-December 2009, and January-April 2010. All interviewers were trained on survey procedures. Within the 7,233 households sampled there were 13,509 adults who were asked to participate in the survey and 11,382 participated (84%).ResultsThe scale was reliable and showed some evidence of unidimensionality. Estimated proportion of participants with high dental anxiety (cut-off score = 19) was 11.6%. Percentiles and confidence intervals were presented and can be estimated for individual patients across various age ranges and gender using an on-line tool.ConclusionsThe largest reported data set on the MDAS from a representative UK sample was presented. The scale’s psychometrics is supportive for the routine assessment of patient dental anxiety to compare against a number of major demographic groups categorised by age and sex. Practitioners within the UK have a resource to estimate the rarity of a particular patient’s level of dental anxiety, with confidence intervals, when using the on-line percentile calculator.

Utility and validity of a single-item visual analog scale for measuring dental anxiety in clinical practice

“…The convergent validity of the VAS was assessed by examining correlations with the MDAS, an established scale for measuring dental anxiety. The VAS was highly correlated with total MDAS score and with scored for each item on the scale (P < 0.001), which indicates that the VAS, due to its unidimensional nature, was able to assess the components of dental anxiety with results similar to those of the MDAS (13). This high correlation with an established anxiety scale confirmed the findings of previous studies (8,(10)(11)(12).…”

The oral health of individuals with dental phobia: a multivariate analysis of the Adult Dental Health Survey, 2009

“…The MDAS has good reliability and validity, and the cut-offs for 'phobic' respondents at scores of 19 and above is well defined. 11 People with dental phobia are more likely to have one or more decayed teeth and missing teeth.…”

Applying the Verona coding definitions of emotional sequences (VR-CoDES) in the dental context involving patients with complex communication needs: An exploratory study

“…Dental treatments with more invasive elements are likely to be linked with higher level of dental anxiety [18] and it seemed to be no exception for patients with complex While it proved challenging in our study to distinguish between cues arising from patient intellectual/communication difficulties, and from the nature of the treatment or from the combination, it will be useful for future researchers to explore further this area and gain additional evidence to assist the dental clinicians in improving attendance to patients' emotional needs through understanding causes of emotional distress.…”