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Characteristics of adult dentally fearful individuals. A cross-cultural study.

This cross-cultural study investigated adult dental fear patients in three countries. A joint intake interview questionnaire and a dental anxiety scale explored the level, background and concomitant factors of dental anxiety among patients at the Universities of Tel Aviv (Israel), Goteborg (Sweden), and Pittsburgh (USA). It was shown that patients at all three sites were quite similar with regard to age, sex, level of dental anxiety (DAS) and avoidance time. Negative emotions were common, with more negative everyday life effects among Swedish patients. Regardless of country, most patients stated that they had always been fearful, but environmental etiologic factors were frequently reported. Swedish patients more often reported both direct and indirect learning patterns than Israeli patients. Patients' motivation for treatment was high, while the belief in getting fear reduction was clearly lower. The most common reason for Israeli patients to seek treatment was a personal decision to try to cope with the situation, while for Swedish patients it was pain. Israeli and US patients preferred more 'active' modes of treatment such as behavioral management therapies, while Swedish patients equally preferred active and more 'passive' treatment approaches such as general anesthesia. Preference for dentist attributes were similar among groups and underlined the strong emphasis that fearful individuals place upon dentists' behaviors and their performance of dentistry.