Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat
Published on: September 12, 2014
Dental fear in adults: a meta-analysis of behavioral interventions
Gerd Kvale1, Ulf Berggren, Peter Milgrom
1Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. gerd.kvale@psykp.uib.no
Objectives:
The aim of this meta-analytic and systematic quantitative approach is to examine the effects of behavioral interventions for dental anxiety and dental phobia.
Methods:
Eighty studies were identified where dental fear treatment with behavioral methods was evaluated. Thirty-eight of 80 met entry criteria and were included in a meta-analysis.
Results:
The calculated effect sizes (ESs) for self-reported anxiety after intervention indicate positive changes in 36 of the 38 studies and no changes in two. The overall ES = 1.8 (95% CI: 1.6, 1.8). The percent of subjects with post-treatment dental visits in the first 6 months post-treatment varied between 50 and 100%. The overall ES for attendance at dental visits, weighted by sample size, is 1.4 (95% CI: 1.3, 1.6). The homogeneity analysis indicates that the studies cannot be adequately described in one ES. The reported percentage of subjects with a dental visit between 6 months and 4 years post-treatment varied from 48 to 100%. The overall weighted ES for visiting the dentist, adjusted for drop-outs in the studies, is 1.2 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.4).
Conclusions:
Despite extensive heterogeneity, changes in self-reported anxiety represent medium to large ESs. Patients signing up for a behavioral intervention for dental fear can be expected to report a significant reduction in their fear, and this effect generally seems to be lasting. Mean long-term attendance ( >4 years after treatment) is 77%.
Related Concept Videos
Behavior Therapy
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
Operant Conditioning Intervention
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.