Hypnosis compared with group therapy and individual desensitization for dental anxiety

Effects of hypnotherapy (HT) and self-hypnosis training on extreme dental anxiety in adults aged 19-65 years were compared with group therapy (GT) and individual desensitization (SD) using scales of dental anxiety, dental beliefs, and fear of a next dentist (after specialist treatment). All experimental groups were demographically comparable and showed reduced anxiety and improved dental beliefs compared with 51 control patients. The 25 HT patients did not differ significantly in numbers of dropouts during training compared with the 30 GT patients or 68 SD patients. For patients completing treatment, HT (n = 22) reduced dental anxiety to the same degree as GT (n = 24) and SD (n = 60). HT and SD patients required more therapist hours per patient than did GT, but total dropouts at 1 yr after specialist treatment were significantly greater in HT (13/ 25) than for SD rehearsals (5/34) or SD video (8/32), but not GT (15/30). Hypnotizability was found to vary from patient to patient, with a direct relationship to time saved. But hypnotizability had an inverse relationship to STAI general anxiety level for those who went on to dentists after 1 year. Transference effects were noted for most HT dropout patients as an aversive response to continued dental treatment with other dentists than the specialist.