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[Extremely anxious patients: does treatment achieve the desired effect?]
I H Aartman1, A de Jongh, P C Makkes
1Sectie Sociale Tandheelkunde en Voorlichtingskunde van het Academisch Centrum Tandheelkunde Amsterdam (ACTA).
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Tandheelkunde
|December 6, 2001
Summary
Behavioral management effectively reduced dental anxiety compared to sedation. While treatments were effective, improving dental attendance requires changes in referral procedures and psychologist involvement.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Dental anxiety affects a significant portion of the population.
- Specialized dental care centers aim to improve patient outcomes.
- Understanding treatment effectiveness is crucial for dental practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of various dental treatments.
- To assess patient outcomes, including dental anxiety and attendance.
- To identify areas for improvement in dental care delivery.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 341 patients at a specialized dental care center.
- Assessment of dental anxiety post-treatment (65% response rate).
- Evaluation of dental attendance one year after treatment (74% response rate).
Main Results:
- Behavioral management resulted in lower dental anxiety scores than intravenous sedation.
- 66.7% of patients reported regular visits to a general dental practitioner one year post-treatment.
- Overall treatment effectiveness was indicated by patient outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Current dental treatments are effective in managing dental anxiety and promoting attendance.
- Enhancing dental attendance may require optimizing referral procedures to general dental practitioners.
- Involving psychologists in diagnosis and treatment planning is recommended for dental fear clinics.