title: What are dental non-attenders' preferences for anxiety management techniques? A cross-sectional study based at a dental access centre.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dental anxiety is a barrier to attendance. Dental non-attenders may seek emergency care and may prefer to receive anxiety management measures for treatment required. Little is known about the preferences of these dental non-attenders for different anxiety management techniques. Understanding such preferences may inform management pathways, improve experiences, alleviate anxieties and encourage a more regular attendance pattern. As such, the aim of this study was to gain a greater understanding of the dental anxiety of patients attending a dental access centre for emergency dental treatment and to ascertain preferences for different anxiety management techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study involving self-completed questionnaires and clinical observation.
  
  
  METHODS
  NHS Dental Access Centre, York, UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred participants not registered with a general dental practitioner, aged 18 years or over, experiencing pain and self-referred were recruited on a consecutive sampling basis. Participants completed a questionnaire eliciting demographic and dental history details, dental anxiety and preferences for dental anxiety management options.
  
  
  METHODS
  Correlation of the modified dental anxiety scale with preference for different dental anxiety management techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant predictive factors were found that explained preferring local anaesthetic to sedation, or general anaesthesia for restorations or extractions. Those highly anxious were less likely to consider tell-show-do techniques (p=0.001) or watching explanatory videos (p=0.004) to be helpful for overcoming their anxieties than the low or moderate anxiety groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  People attending access centres may represent a group who are unwilling to explore non-pharmacological methods to overcome their anxieties. This supports the need for sedation to provide treatment. Future work may include exploring in more depth the thoughts and opinions of this group of patients to improve understanding of their complex dental attitudes. From this, more effective strategies may be developed to encourage regular dental attendance.
authors: Monkgate Dental Department, 31-33 Monkgate, York.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Harding
authors: Centre for Oral Health Research, School of Dental Sciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle.
authors: C R
authors: CR
authors: Vernazza
authors: Centre for Oral Health Research, School of Dental Sciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Wilson
authors: 1] Department of Social Sciences and Languages, University of Northumbria, Ellison Place, Newcastle [2] Centre for Oral Health Research, School of Dental Sciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Harding
authors: Centre for Oral Health Research, School of Dental Sciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle.
authors: N M
authors: NM
authors: Girdler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000628:therapy*; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057240:Patient Preference; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult