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Efficacy of a trauma‐focused treatment approach for dental phobia: a randomized clinical trial
Author(s) -
Doering Stephan,
Ohlmeier MarieChristin,
Jongh Ad,
Hofmann Arne,
Bisping Vanessa
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
european journal of oral sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.802
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1600-0722
pISSN - 0909-8836
DOI - 10.1111/eos.12090
Subject(s) - dental fear , eye movement desensitization and reprocessing , anxiety , medicine , attendance , desensitization (medicine) , randomized controlled trial , acute stress disorder , anxiety disorder , specific phobia , psychiatry , dentistry , clinical psychology , posttraumatic stress , receptor , economics , economic growth
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.