title: Efficacy of a trauma-focused treatment approach for dental phobia: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: It has been hypothesized that treatment specifically focused on resolving memories of negative dental events might be efficacious for the alleviation of anxiety in patients with dental phobia. Thirty-one medication-free patients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) criteria of dental phobia were randomly assigned to either Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) or a waitlist control condition. Dental anxiety was assessed using the Dental Anxiety Questionnaire (DAS), the Dental Fear Survey (DFS), a behavior test, and dental attendance at 1-yr of follow up. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing was associated with significant reductions of dental anxiety and avoidance behavior as well as in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The effect sizes for the primary outcome measures were d = 2.52 (DAS) and d = 1.87 (DFS). These effects were still significant 3 months (d = 3.28 and d = 2.28, respectively) and 12 months (d = 3.75 and d = 1.79, respectively) after treatment. After 1 yr, 83.3% of the patients were in regular dental treatment (d = 3.20). The findings suggest that therapy aimed at processing memories of past dental events can be helpful for patients with dental phobia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doering
authors.forename: Marie-Christin
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ohlmeier
authors.forename: Ad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Jongh
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bisping
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D057169:Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing; efficacy; outcome; post-traumatic stress disorder