title: Patterns of dental anxiety in children after sequential dental visits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether gradually exposing Brazilian children to the dental environment would decrease their levels of dental anxiety over a 14.5-month period.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out on 302 children of both genders, aged 6-7 years old. Dental anxiety was assessed using the Facial Image Scale (FIS) at five time points: 1) before an epidemiological examination; 2) before the first treatment session; 3) before the second treatment session; 4) before the first evaluation session 5) before the second evaluation session.
  
  
  METHODS
  ANOVA, Student-t tests and ANCOVA were used to analyse the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant decrease in levels of dental anxiety between time points 1 and 5. Eighty-nine percent of the children with FIS score 1 or 2 at baseline had the same scores at the last time point, whereas 82% of children with FIS score 4 or 5 at baseline had a FIS score of 1 or 2 at the last time point.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A gradual exposure of children to the dental environment in sequential dental visits of different natures in a school premise decreased their levels of dental anxiety over a 14.5-month period.
authors: Department of Global Oral Health, College of Dental Sciences, Radbound University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands. danimdm@yahoo.com.br
authors: D M
authors: DM
authors: de Menezes Abreu
authors: S C
authors: SC
authors: Leal
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Mulder
authors: J E
authors: JE
authors: Frencken
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control*; D057087:Dental Atraumatic Restorative Treatment / Q000523:psychology; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000523:psychology*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009819:Office Visits; D012571:School Dentistry