ASSESSMENT OF DENTAL ANXIETY USING MDAS (MODIFIED DENTAL ANXIETY SCALE) AMONG DENTAL STUDENTS IN MUMBAI CITY - A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Dental anxiety and dental fear are major factors causing much trouble for the people attending to their own personal health. Statistics show that young individuals experience higher dental anxiety than others. This can be accounted for by the diverse, intense effects of a number of psychological factors in this age range that can cause dental fear and dental anxiety. Aim:To assess the prevalence and level of dental anxiety among dental undergraduate students and interns in Mumbai. Materials and Methods: The self-reported assessment scale developed by N. Corah, the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) which was later modified with the inclusion of a question over anaesthetic injection was used in the study; it was applied in the form of a questionnaire containing data on name, college, year of study and was used to measure the dental anxiety among the study population. Results and Discussion:Three hundred and eight subjects were recruited into the study. Anxiety-free students were the most numerous group in the sample (184, 59.74%), which were followed by students showing moderate anxiety. Twelve (3.89%) students experienced severe anxiety.. About 14.2% of the study population has scored 15 or more in the MDAS questionnaire. The students were anxious mostly while waiting for their turn at the dental office and anaesthetic injections. Conclusion:Dental anxiety is a common difficulty encountered among dental students who represent future healthcare professionals. Also, a high level of dental anxiety leads to turning away from dental treatment. Key Words: Dental anxiety, Dental students, Dental Anxiety Scales