title: A survey of the dentist attire and gender preferences in dentally anxious children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anxiety about doctors among children is very common. White coat phobia which is a classical conditioning phenomenon is said to be prevalent among children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the association between anxious states of children about dentists and their preference of dentist attire and gender in the dental office.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 9-12-year-old middle school children were selected for the study. Children were asked to fill a questionnaire containing children's fear survey schedule-dental subscale (CFSS-DS) and asked to prefer dental attire from four different pictures displaying the single anonymous dentist in four different attires in the same operator. The CFSS-DS gave the anxiety scale, and age, gender, and experience were also plotted against children preference in an apron, protective wear, and gender preference. Results were tabulated and statistically analyzed using Chi-square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About 718 (62%) were scored as anxious children. Of all anxious children, 502 (69.9%) had preference of colored attires of the dentist, and 408 (66.8%) anxious children preferred dentist with protective wear. Female dentists were preferred by 452 (66%) anxious children. Same gender preference was also prevalent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Rishiraj College of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asokan
authors.forename: Haalaswamy V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Kambalimath
authors.forename: Raju U
authors.initials: RU
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: Sathish
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maran
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Bharath
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003020:Clothing; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057240:Patient Preference; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires