Dental Fear, Perceived Control, and Satisfaction with Dental Treatment

Dental fear is one of the most pervasive fears in the adult population. Objectives: This study explores whether dental fear and a desire for control affect adult dental patients' satisfaction with their treatment. Methods: Data from 244 regularly scheduled patients in a university based dental clinic were collected before and after the treatment (115 males / 129 females; average age: 47.13 years; age range: 18 to 85 years). Dental fear was measured with the Dental Anxiety Scale - Revised. Desire for Control was measured with the Iowa Dental Control Index. Results: The results show that baseline dental fear and desire for control are significantly correlated (r=.333; p=.000). Baseline dental fear was also significantly correlated with patients' satisfaction with the treatment (r=.238; p=.000), the personal comfort during the treatment (r=.339; p=.000), and the evaluation of the provider's compassion (r=.235; p=.000). The perceived control after the treatment was negatively associated with the dental fear reported at the end of the treatment (r=-.461; p=.000), the satisfaction with the treatment (r=-.269; p=.002), the comfort experienced (r=-.364; p=.000), and the provider's compassion (r=-.224; p=.009). Conclusion: Patients' dental fear affects their satisfaction with dental treatment. The less control patients perceive to have had during dental treatment, the more fear they experience after the treatment and the less satisfied they are.