Abstract

CORDOVA SOTOMAYOR, Daniel Angel  and  SANTA MARIA CARLOS, Flor Benigna. Levels of anxiety in adult patients of a dental clinic in a Peruvian university. Rev. Estomatol. Herediana [online]. 2018, vol.28, n.2, pp.89-96. ISSN 1019-4355.  http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.20453/reh.v28i2.3324.

Objectives: to determine anxiety levels in patients attending the dental clinic of a Peruvian university. Material and Methods: The study was non-experimental and cross-sectional during the month of September 2016. The sample consisted of 120 patients who attended the dental clinic of a Peruvian university which was selected by non-probabilistic sampling. The selection criteria were all patients of both sexes, over 18 years, who were attended on more than two occasions and who signed the letter of informed consent, data to determine anxiety levels were obtained by applying the Scale Dental Anxiety Short Version (SDAI). Results: Of the 120 patients surveyed who come to the Dental Clinic of a Peruvian University; 20% did not present anxiety, 43.3% presented mild anxiety, 20% presented moderate anxiety and 16.7% presented severe anxiety. A greater frequency of anxiety was evidenced at the time when the dentist readied the syringe with the injection of anesthesia (23.4%) and less anxiety when going to the dentist’s office (10.8%). A statistically significant association was found with the gender of the patients (p < 0.01), with greater anxiety observed in men than in women. Conclusions: The majority of patients who attend the dental clinic of a Peruvian university present mild, moderate or severe anxiety.

Keywords : Anxiety; dental treatment anxiety; patients.

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