• DOI:10.20944/preprints201807.0326.v1
• Corpus ID: 81678444

Dental Fear in First and Final Year Dental Students in India

@inproceedings{Chowdhury2018DentalFI,
  title={Dental Fear in First and Final Year Dental Students in India},
  author={Chitta Ranjan Chowdhury and Shahnawaz Khijmatgar and Avidyuti Chowdhury and Martin Gootveld and Edward Lynch},
  year={2018}
}

• C. Chowdhury, S. Khijmatgar, +2 authors E. Lynch
• Published 18 July 2018
• Medicine, Education

Objective The study aims to investigate dental fear in first and final year undergraduate dental students in India. Design Questionnaire survey. Setting BDS Students in four University dental colleges in India carried-out during 2013 and 2014. Subjects (materials) and methods: The students (n=614) were assessed using a pre-tested questionnaire. We estimated the level of dental fear by using the Modified-Dental-Anxiety-Scale (MDAS). Statistical tests were used: Fisher’s, Chi square and Mann Whitney U tests, Cluster analysis and multivariate regression analysis. Students had similar demographic and life-style patterns. Interventions: Assessed the level of dental fear among undergraduate dental students. Main outcome measures: The MDAS score (mean ± SD) for the first year BDS students was 12.96 ± 4.0 compared to 10.52 ± 3.40 for the final year group. Results: Six hundred and fourteen (n= 614) students from four dental colleges were included in this study.Seventy seven per cent were female (n= 478) and 23% were male (n=136). The mean age of the first year students was 18.31 years, and 21.54 years for the final year.  First year BDS students had an increased level of dental fear (12.96 ± 4.0) compared to the final year (10.52 ± 3.40) which was highly significant (p<0.001). Conclusion(s): Dental fear was significantly higher amongst first year BDS students.