Virtual Reality Relaxation to Decrease Dental Anxiety: Immediate Effect Randomized Clinical Trial

Area of Science:

• Dental Public Health
• Psychology
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Dental anxiety is a prevalent issue impacting oral health service utilization.
• Effective interventions are needed to manage preoperative anxiety in dental settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a brief virtual reality relaxation (VRR) intervention in reducing preoperative dental anxiety.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial compared VRR (3-min immersive video) with treatment as usual (TAU) in a public dental clinic.
• The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) was used to measure total, anticipatory, and treatment-related dental anxiety.
• Mixed effects linear regression models analyzed outcomes, adjusting for baseline scores, age, and blocking effects.

Main Results:

• VRR significantly decreased total and anticipatory dental anxiety compared to TAU (P < .001).
• Women showed greater reductions in total and treatment-related anxiety with VRR.
• Both men and women experienced significant reductions in anticipatory anxiety with VRR.

Conclusions:

• A short VRR intervention is a feasible and effective method for reducing preoperative dental anxiety in public dental care.
• VRR offers a promising non-pharmacological approach to improve patient experience in dental settings.