摘要：OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the dental anxiety levels of patients attending the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery clinic in a dental faculty and to evaluate the associated factors that might be related with the dental anxiety. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Questionnaires were applied to patients attending the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic, Faculty of Dentistry, Gazi University between February 1, 2013 and January 1, 2014 (n=1165). The questionnaire included a Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and questions that might be related with dental anxiety. Participants whose MDAS score value was ≥19 were considered as highly anxious. Data which also included the participants’ demographic values were transferred to a statistical software and the results were examined through descriptive methods. RESULTS: High dental anxiety level among patients participated in the study amounted to a rate of 14.1%. Dental anxiety was not related to age, marital status, educational level, firsttime-dental visit-age, number of lacking teeth, and reason of the dental visit (p>0.05). However, the indicators gender, previous traumatic experience and dental visit frequency were significantly related to dental anxiety (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Results of the present study showed that dental anxiety before oral surgical procedures is still prevalent despite technical, pharmacological and surgical advances in dentistry. Implementation of anxiety identification/reducing procedures in the oral surgery practice is of great importance to increase patient comfort and optimize surgical circumstances.><0.05). CONCLUSION: Results of the present study showed that dental anxiety before oral surgical procedures is still prevalent despite technical, pharmacological and surgical advances in dentistry. Implementation of anxiety identification/reducing procedures in the oral surgery practice is of great importance to increase patient comfort and optimize surgical circumstances.
