Relaxation vs. cognitively oriented therapies for dental fear

Cognitive therapy has been reported for the treatment of dental phobia, but comparisons with other behavioral treatments are scarce. This study investigated the outcome of two modes of treatment for phobic dental fear. Relaxation and cognitively oriented therapy were compared in a sample of 112 adult fearful dental patients. The patient made questionnaire assessments of background and outcome variables, and the specialist dentist rated successful/non-successful outcome. It was shown that a higher number of patients who received cognitively oriented therapy completed the treatment program, while anxiety was more reduced among patients who received relaxation-oriented therapy. Dropout during the initial phobia therapy with a psychologist was related to lower motivation (willingness to engage in treatment), while failures during dental treatment after the completion of therapy were related to higher levels of general fear and anxiety. A multiple logistic regression model explaining 67% of the variance revealed that the risk of failure was only slightly increased by general fears, while patients with low (below median) motivation ran a 3.6-times-higher risk of dropping out. In conclusion, it was shown that the two treatment methods were both effective in reducing dental phobic reactions. However, while cognitively oriented therapy resulted in a higher number of patients completing therapy, relaxation-oriented treatment generally resulted in a more significant reduction in dental fear as well as in general anxiety and fear. Motivation was found to be a significant predictor of successful treatment outcome.