title: Characteristics of dental fear amongst dental and medical students.
abstract: A survey using a modification of the Dental Fear Survey (3) was carried out among 304, 17-22-year-old college students in Mangalore, India, in order to determine the prevalence and characteristics of dental fear. Feeling tense was found to be the most frequently reported physiologic arousal. Among the dental situations, the needle and the drill were the most fear-provoking stimuli. About 51% of the students reported some fear of dentistry with females and dental students being more fearful than males and medical students. They also reported higher avoidance behaviour. This study also suggested that dental fear could be influences by family and friends.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Dentistry, College of Dental Surgery, Mangalore, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Sequeire
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires