One- vs. five-session treatment of dental phobia: a randomized controlled study.
Forty participants fulfilling the DSM-IV criteria for dental phobia were randomly assigned to a waitlist group, one-session or five-session exposure treatment. Assessment occurred pre-, post-waitlist/treatment, and after 1 year. Mean avoidance of dental care before treatment was 11.4 years. A total of 77% sought dental care in the follow-up year. Both treatments were equally effective at reducing avoidance behavior and changing cognitions during the feared situation. Post-treatment, the five-session group scored lower on the dental anxiety scales, but at follow-up, both groups reported the same level of dental anxiety.


CONCLUSIONS
Both treatment conditions enable a return to ordinary dental treatment.
Haukebø
Kristin
K
Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. Kristin.Haukebo@psykp.uib.no
Skaret
Erik
E
Ost
Lars-Göran
LG
Raadal
Magne
M
Berg
Einar
E
Sundberg
Håkan
H
Kvale
Gerd
G
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic / Q000379:methods*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007171:Implosive Therapy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014743:Videotape Recording; D014850:Waiting Lists