Background and prevalence of dental fear and anxiety

We have all experienced anxiety and fear at some point in our lives; however, we sometimes still find it difficult to understand other people’s fears if these are different to our own. This can be a challenge for dental professionals who treat anxious children and who may struggle to understand their patient’s fear reactions. It is, however, incredibly important that members of the dental team have a clear understanding of why children experience dental anxiety, and the impact this type of anxiety may have on their patient’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours. This will enable dental professionals to develop empathy with their patients. Understanding the patient’s perspective is an important first step in developing patient-centred treatment plans. Therefore, this chapter aims to promote understanding of the different types of anxiety and fear responses which can be experienced by children, the prevalence of childhood dental anxiety and the factors which may play an important role in the development and maintenance of children’s dental anxiety.