An investigation of dental hygiene treatment fear

The purpose of this study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of a dental hygiene fear survey in a convenience sample population from a Midwestern metropolitan area.

A convenience sample of 300 subjects from two sites, a suburban general dental practice and a dental school intramural faculty practice located in a metropolitan area, was utilized. A 16-item instrument was developed that incorporated the University of Washington Fears Clinic four subtypes of dental fear: fear of specific stimuli, generalized anxiety, distrust, and catastrophe. The survey was administered prior to dental hygiene treatment. Scores were summed and patients were classified as experiencing dental hygiene fear if their scores were greater than one standard deviation above the mean. Reliability was estimated by Cronbach's alpha. Validity was examined by correlating the revised instrument with measures of conceptually related variables.

Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .85 for specific dental hygiene stimuli, .79 for generalized anxiety, .75 for distrust, and .68 for fear of catastrophe while receiving dental hygiene treatment. Overall reliability of all 16 items was estimated at .92. A significantly positive correlation (.58) was found between dental hygiene patients who reported high fear and avoidance (> 2 years) of dental hygiene treatment (p < .05). Dental hygiene fear correlated negatively (-.12) with age (p < .05). Females reported dental hygiene fear more frequently than males.

Further revisions of the Dental Hygiene Fear Survey are needed; however, this survey shows promise in evaluating dental hygiene fear.