title: Antecedents of dental fear.
abstract: Early dental experiences were described in essay form by 225 college students reporting either "high" or "low" fear of dentistry. Antecedent factors which appeared to differentiate the two groups most clearly included pain experiences and dentist behaviors. Results were interpreted as supportive of a social-learning model of dental fear acquisition and their implications for dental training and practice were discussed.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D001290:Attitude; D003729:Dental Care; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D009339:Needles; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology