Dental anxiety, optimism-pessimism, and dental experience from childhood to adolescence

94 adolescents, 58% of the original study group, participated in a 5-yr follow-up questionnaire study to assess the predictive power of self-reported dental anxiety, optimism-pessimism dimension, and previous dental experience on dental anxiety level over the 5-yr period. The mean values on Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and Dental Anxiety Question (DAQ) had increased for the girls and remained stable for the boys. The predictive power of DAS and DAQ on anxiety levels as measured by these same scales 5 yr later was weak to moderate, although statistically significant. The optimism-pessimism dimension and dental treatment experiences did not have any effect on dental anxiety changes from childhood to adolescence. DAS had an independent, weak, but statistically significant negative effect on optimistic disposition over the period. The internal reliability of DAS was high and highly similar results using DAS and DAQ were found. Except for significantly more dental experience in the drop-out group (n = 69) than in the current study group in the first study, there were no statistically significant differences in mean scores between the groups with respect to self-reported and clinical dental anxiety, and optimism. Methodological complications are discussed.