Factors Influencing Anxiety among Patients in a Dental Setting: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Dental Anxiety (DA) is a well-known obstacle that influences how patients behave and feel about receiving dental care. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) is a widely used instrument for evaluating DA in patients attending dental clinics. Aim: To determine the variables affecting DA in patients at a private dentistry college in Jeddah. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies, Jeddah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, from December 2023 to March 2024. A self-reported questionnaire was used as the data collection tool. The study comprised a total of 346 participants, with responses collected electronically via Google Docs. Participants were categorised into three groups-low, moderate and high DA-based on established risk indicators. The analysis of responses employed descriptive statistics, presented as mean +/- standard deviation. Associations between variables were assessed using the Chi-square test, with a p-value of less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Among participants aged 18 to 30 years, 73 individuals (54.1%) reported low anxiety levels, 56 individuals (41.5%) reported moderate anxiety and 6 individuals (4.4%) reported high anxiety levels. In the cohort of participants older than 30 years, 84 individuals (39.8%) exhibited low anxiety, 103 individuals (48.8%) exhibited moderate anxiety and 24 individuals (11.4%) exhibited high anxiety levels. Examining gender differences, 58 males (58%) reported low levels of anxiety, while 8 males (8%) reported high levels. Comparatively, 99 females (40.2%) reported low anxiety and 22 females (8.9%) reported high anxiety levels. Although a majority of participants indicated low levels of anxiety, among postgraduate individuals, 6 (26.1%) reported high anxiety levels. Participants were also queried regarding their prior dental visits and of those who responded affirmatively, 157 individuals (45.4%) reported low anxiety, 159 individuals (45.9%) reported moderate anxiety and 30 individuals (8.6%) reported high anxiety. Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicate that DA is significantly influenced by various factors, including age, gender, occupation, self-perceived oral healthcare and prior dental visit experiences. Addressing these variables may enhance the effectiveness of strategies aimed at mitigating DA among patients visiting dental clinics.