Impact of Residence on Dental Fear and Anxiety in Romanian Children
Impact of Residence on Dental Fear and Anxiety in Romanian Children

Summary/Abstract: Child dental fear and anxiety (DFA) is a worldwide problem with extremely diversified influencing factors and various prevalence. The aim of the present study was to evaluate dental fear and anxiety in Romanian children living in Romania and as a minority in Hungary in order to appreciate the importance of domicile on DFA. 713 schoolchildren between ages of 11-18-years, 406 from Romania and 306 from Hungary, were evaluated using Klineknecht‘s Dental Fear Scale (DFS), Getz‘s Dental Belief Scale (DBS) and Background Scale, respectively. The mean age of the surveyed sample was 14.8 ±2.32 years. The mean scores DFS: 37.81 ±14.24, DBS: 37.37 ±11.38, Background Scale: 2.21 ±2.63 indicate the presence of a moderate dental fear, with no statistically significant differences between the two samples. From the viewpoint of gender, males from Romania showed statistically significant differences in case of DBS compared to their fellows in Hungary. Considering age, the youngest children evaluated, the 11-year-olds were the least fearful, with the peak of DFA situated around age 12-14 years. We state that domicile did not have an effect on the level of dental fear in this case. A decrease in the severity of dental fear and anxiety was also observed. Significant distinctions between the two samples are present only in particular aspects of the questionnaires used.

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