Gender differences in adolescents' perceptions toward dentists using the Japanese version of the dental beliefs survey: a cross-sectional survey

A cross-sectional hospital-based study on how patients perceive the dental care provided by male or female dentists

Awareness and knowledge of patient choice were important for developing the standard of dental health. It is important to maintain the patient-dentist relationship, which must be done with sincerity. For patients, the quality of social care is crucial. Therefore, the study's goal is to determine whether patients perceive dental treatment provided by male or female dentists differently. A descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study (Saveetha University) was conducted using a structured questionnaire which consisted of questions which assessed the patient opinion about dental care provided by male or female dental practitioners. To evaluate statistical significance, we shall utilize (P = 0.05). The Chi-square test was performed to evaluate patient perception toward gender preference in providing dental care. Male and female participants appear to have the same degree of knowledge when compared, according to a statistically significant connection (P = 0.05) that was discovered. The study demonstrated that patients' perceptions of the expertise levels of male and female dentists were the same.

Adolescent Dental Fear and Anxiety: Background, Assessment, and Nonpharmacologic Behavior Guidance

Adolescence, the period from 11 to 21 years of age, bridges the chasm between childhood and adulthood. Adolescence can be challenging as bodies, cognition, and personality go through major transformations, but it is also a time of great joy as confident adults with a clear identity develop. Dentists need to be knowledgeable about the developmental characteristics of this group because some of the cognitive and emotional changes make adolescents vulnerable to new fears. Dentists must tailor behavior guidance to this developing psyche in a way that respects independence and promotes confidence to foster lifelong positive views of dentistry.

Psychometric Properties of the Japanese Version of the Single Dental Anxiety Question: A Cross-sectional Online Survey

Background:

Assessment of dental anxiety using a validated questionnaire is important for its management and survey.

Objective:

The aim of this cross-sectional online survey was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the Single Dental Anxiety Question (SDAQ).

Methods:

The single question was translated into Japanese following the forward-backward method. Four hundred Japanese internet monitors (age 20–79 years) were included in the study. Sensitivity–specificity analysis and the Kappa coefficient were calculated against the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) using the 19 cutoff score for high dental anxiety. Criterion validity was evaluated using age, gender, dental attendance pattern, negative dental experiences, and subjective oral health.

Results:

Among these subjects, 11% were found to have high dental anxiety on the MDAS score and 9% rated themselves as very afraid of SDAQ. The Kappa coefficient between the MDAS cutoff score and the SDAQ classification was 0.58, the sensitivity was 0.56, and the specificity was 0.97. The SDAQ was associated with gender (P = 0.018), dental attendance pattern (P = 0.020), negative dental experiences (P < 0.001), and subjective oral health (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

The Japanese version of the SDAQ has good criterion and construct validity but lower sensitivity than the original version. It can be used to assess dental anxiety in large dental surveys or clinical settings where a multi-item questionnaire is not feasible.