An Introduction to Assessing Dental Fear and Anxiety in Children

Abstract

Fear and anxiety constitute an important theme in dentistry, especially with children. Anxiety and the fear of pain during dental treatment can lead to avoidance behaviour, which contributes to perpetuating fear and anxiety of dental care. Understanding and assessing dental fear and anxiety in children is important for delivering successful dental care with high satisfaction in this age group. Among the vast assessment method options available today, self-report assessment, parental proxy assessment, observation-based assessment, and physiological assessment are the four major types for dental fear and anxiety in children. Each method has its own merits and limitations. The selection of a method should be based on the objectives, validity, and setting of the assessment. The aim of this paper is to review and discuss the assessment methods for dental fear and anxiety in children.