ADDRESSING DENTAL PHOBIA TO IMPROVE ORAL HEALTH: EVIDENCE FROM A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY IN PUNJAB

Abstract

Background: Despite increasing awareness about oral health needs and treatment-seeking behaviors, dental phobia often leads to the avoidance of dental care; therefore, it warrants clinical intervention aimed at reducing the fear. Aim: Current research aimed to assess the efficacy of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in reducing adults in Punjab. Methods: Initially, 1000 participants, 919 females and 81 males, were selected for the study through a purposive sampling strategy. For pre-assessment, participants were given the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS)1 along with a demographic performa. Participants whose scores were within the moderate (9-12) or high (13-14) range of dental phobia were considered eligible for the intervention phase. Screening indicated that 108 participants had moderate dental anxiety and 189 had high dental phobia, resulting in 297 participants being eligible for the intervention phase. Only 20 participants provided informed consent for the therapy sessions. Results: The results of the study revealed that the scores of the participants reduced significantly after the intervention***p<.001. Conclusion: The results of the study suggested that it is incumbent on dental practitioners to integrate CBT-based interventions into their routine practice to improve overall health care outcomes for the patients.