High levels of dental anxiety can lead to worsening oral health and further dental fears
Research gap analysis derived from 4 psychology papers in our local library.
The gap
High levels of dental anxiety can lead to worsening oral health and further dental fears. Dental anxiety can result in avoidance behaviours that can lead to the deterioration of oral health. Effective management of dental anxiety is critica
Evidence profile
Sourced from the conclusions and inline gaps and stated challenges and future-work section of the source papers, classified as general, drawn from work published between 1981 and 2026, spanning 4 journals. Those papers have been cited 5 times in total.
Research trend
Established — well-defined area with open sub-problems.
Supporting evidence — 4 representative gaps
- A double-blind randomized clinical trial on the suggestive effect of anxiety management questionnaires in dental emergencies (2024) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi
Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that in emergency dental treatment a diagnostic tool of a standardized questionnaire for the assessment to assess personal coping strategies (Coping with Anxiety Questionnaire, CAQ) decreased state anxiety in comparison to a questionnaire assessing anxiety (Hierarchical Anxiety Questionnaire, HAF) that increased state anxiety in patients.
generalconclusionsKeywords: anxiety questionnaire coping state within limitations concluded emergency dental treatment diagnostic tool standardized assessment assess - Fear in the Dental Chair: A Narrative Review of Dental Anxiety Prevalence, Oral Health Consequences and the Evidence Behind Behavioral, Pharmacological and Sedation-Based Interventions (2026) · Journal of Clinical Medical Research · doi
The long- term outcomes of VR-based interventions beyond the immediate procedure have not been adequately studied. And perhaps most practically, there is still no consensus on a standardized anxiety screening protocol for routine dental practice, a gap that limits the translation of research findings into clinical reality.
generalinline gapsKeywords: long term outcomes based interventions beyond immediate procedure adequately studied perhaps practically there still consensus - The influence of immersive tools on children’s dental anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2026) · European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry · doi
High levels of dental anxiety can lead to worsening oral health and further dental fears. Dental anxiety can result in avoidance behaviours that can lead to the deterioration of oral health. Effective management of dental anxiety is critical for improving both individual patient care and broader public oral health outcomes.
generalstated challengesKeywords: high levels dental anxiety lead worsening oral health - A cognitive‐behavioral treatment for disproportionate dental anxiety and pain: A case study (1981) · Journal of Clinical Child Psychology · cited 5× · doi
Future studies should investigate the effectiveness of stress inoculation training for treating dental phobia in larger samples of patients. Research should explore the use of multi-channel assessment approaches for understanding dental phobia. Studies should examine the long-term maintenance of treatment gains and the potential for relapse.
generalfuture-work sectionevidence 4/5Keywords: future studies investigate effectiveness stress inoculation training treating
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