Dutch students' dental anxiety and occurrence of thoughts related to treatment

The present study was intended to explore the relationship between individuals' level of dental anxiety and thoughts (both self-statements and mental images) related to dental treatment. Subjects were 210 psychology students (75 males, 135 females). The results showed that 98% of the subjects reported one or more negative or catastrophic thoughts. A significant positive relationship was found between reported severity of anxiety (S-DAI scores) and frequency of thoughts. The results indicate that dental anxiety is associated with the tendency to experience negative or threatening thoughts concerning treatment.