Evaluation of dental fear and related factors in 8 to 12 years old children

One of the most important principles of dental treatment in children is the control of anxiety and fear during dental procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate dental fear and some related factors in children aged 8 to 12 years old during 2019.

This cross-sectional study was performed on 300 children aged 8 to 12 years old in Sanandaj. Data collection tool was the Children’s Fear Survey Schedule- Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) questionnaire. Descriptive tables, t-test and ANOVA were used to compare the mean scores of fear among groups. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 24.

The overall mean of childrenchr('39')s fear score was 37.3. There was a significant relationship between gender and dental fear score, which was significantly higher in girls (p value = 0.045). There was no significant relationship between dental fear score and children age, parents chr('39')education, parentschr('39') occupation, family size, dental appointment history, and the time elapsed since last medical and dental visit (p value> 0.05).

Dental fear in children aged 8 to 12 years in Sanandaj was lower than average, and was more common in girls than boys. The highest level of fear was observed in “the sight of the dentist drilling’ “and “injection” respectively.  The lowest level of fear was related to “people in white uniforms”.