IADR Abstract Archives
The Impact of Dental Phobia on Care Planning: A Vignette Study
Objectives: People with dental phobia have poor oral health. This may be the result of prolonged avoidance of treatment or differences in care planning when the patient manages to attend for treatment. To differentiate these two hypotheses, this study sought to determine the effect of dental phobia and complexity of dental care on the proposed care plan for patients.
Methods: Participants in this experimental analogue study were 79 dental practitioners. The dependent variables were care plan elements including; periodontal treatment, prevention, restorations, root canal treatment, extraction and provision of crowns, bridges and prostheses. The independent variables were presence of phobia and complexity of treatment need.
Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the sample characteristics and the responses. The association between the case status (phobic vs non-phobic, simple vs complex) with the dependent variables was assessed using chi-square test for association. Logistic regression analyses were also used to find out the significant predictors of care plan elements.
Results: There were no differences in care planning (in chi-square test all P values > 0.05) for phobic vs non-phobic patients in terms of periodontal treatment, prevention, restorations, root canal treatment, tooth extraction and provision of crowns, bridges and prostheses. Complexity of treatment need, using chi-square test, had significant effects on care planning for advanced periodontal treatment (P value <0.0001), restorations anterior and posterior (P value <0.0001 and P value = 0.002), root canal treatment (P value <0.0001), provision of crowns (P value <0.0001) and extraction (P value =0.01) reflecting the case’s dental needs.
Conclusions: Care planning is influenced by patients’ dental needs and not phobic status, endorsing practitioners’ strong values and professionalism. The provision of oral health care prevention schemes for dentally phobic patients could help not only to simplify their care needs but to also provide cost savings for their treatment.
Methods: Participants in this experimental analogue study were 79 dental practitioners. The dependent variables were care plan elements including; periodontal treatment, prevention, restorations, root canal treatment, extraction and provision of crowns, bridges and prostheses. The independent variables were presence of phobia and complexity of treatment need.
Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the sample characteristics and the responses. The association between the case status (phobic vs non-phobic, simple vs complex) with the dependent variables was assessed using chi-square test for association. Logistic regression analyses were also used to find out the significant predictors of care plan elements.
Results: There were no differences in care planning (in chi-square test all P values > 0.05) for phobic vs non-phobic patients in terms of periodontal treatment, prevention, restorations, root canal treatment, tooth extraction and provision of crowns, bridges and prostheses. Complexity of treatment need, using chi-square test, had significant effects on care planning for advanced periodontal treatment (P value <0.0001), restorations anterior and posterior (P value <0.0001 and P value = 0.002), root canal treatment (P value <0.0001), provision of crowns (P value <0.0001) and extraction (P value =0.01) reflecting the case’s dental needs.
Conclusions: Care planning is influenced by patients’ dental needs and not phobic status, endorsing practitioners’ strong values and professionalism. The provision of oral health care prevention schemes for dentally phobic patients could help not only to simplify their care needs but to also provide cost savings for their treatment.