Dental Anxiety

Question 1

What are the 4 main domains of GDC?

Answer 1

1. Clinical
2. Management and leadership
3. Professionalism
4. Communication

CMPC

Question 2

What are the 2 forms of communication?

Answer 2

Content - what dentist communicates

Process - who they communicate

Question 3

What are specific challenges of communication?

Answer 3

Cultural/ social diversity
Dealing w/ emotion
Age related issue (elderly/children)
Breaking bad news
Low literacy/ sensory impaired pt 
Complaints
Ethics 
Health promotion

Question 4

What is dental anxiety?

Answer 4

General state of apprehension, prepared for something negative to happen
Severe anxiety which result in avoidance or endurance of situation - significant discomfort

Question 5

Impact of dental anxiety?

Answer 5

No dental care/ delayed tx
Reduced oral and general health - lower QoL

Impact dental team: missed appt, administrative/ financial problems

Question 6

What are causes of dental anxiety?

Answer 6

1. Learning - classic conditioning (traumatic experience)/ family (observational)
2. Uncertainty - unpredictable/ lack of control
3. Personality - pt (generalised anxiety), dentist (negative attributes)

Question 7

What is the social learning theory?

Answer 7

Behaviour learned from environment through process of observation

Question 8

How many pt report some form of dental pain?

Answer 8

77%

Question 9

What is pain?

Answer 9

Not just a response to stimulus - active interpretation of sensation
Different factors can affect: age, gender, socio-cultural , personality, emotional state

Question 10

What is MDAS?

Answer 10

Modified dental anxiety score

-Need score >19

Question 11

3 A’s of anxiety?

Answer 11

1. Ask how anxious they are
2. Acknowledge what you have heard
3. Address fear by offering solutions

Question 12

What is CBT?

Answer 12

Way of managing anxiety

Therapy/ psychological tx - help identify problem and find positive management strategies

Question 13

Evidence behind CBT?

Answer 13

More effective than other behavioural management techniques for reduction of anxiety

Question 14

What techniques are used in CBT?

Answer 14

1. Reduce uncertainty - provide info about technique/ equipment
2. Enhance control - stop signals
3. Distraction (music, relaxation - controlled breathing)

Question 15

How many children have dental anxiety?

Answer 15

Half reported some

1 in 10 high levels

Question 16

How has child dental anxiety been managed historically?

Answer 16

Using pharmacological techniques

Doesn’t reduce anxiety

Question 17

Summaries best ways of helping anxious pt?

Answer 17

Provide explanation of procedures - before and during
Warn when discomfort may be experienced
Give pt control - stop signals
Distract pts
Help pt cope - breathing techniques