Self-reported dental fear among oral healthcare students at a university in South Africa

Background. Odontophobia (also known as dental fear) is an extreme version of fear experienced when a patient is about to receive dental treatment. Dental fear is a prevalent issue that affects not only patients but also oral healthcare students. Objective. To investigate the prevalence and severity of dental fear among undergraduate oral healthcare students at a university in South Africa. Understanding dental fear in this population is essential, as it can influence both the students’ own dental experiences and their future professional interactions with fearful patients. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using the Dental Fear Survey (DFS) questionnaire, which assesses dental fear across three domains: avoidance, physiological arousal, and fear of specific stimuli. The study included 135 participants, of whom 126 completed the survey. Participants were divided into preclinical and clinical groups to determine if the level of education and clinical experience affected their dental fear. Results. The results showed that 16.7% of participants had low dental fear, 52.4% had moderate dental fear, and 30.9% had high dental fear. Preclinical students reported significantly higher fear of stimuli such as seeing and hearing the drill compared with clinical students. Female students consistently reported higher fear scores than male students across various dental fear measures. Conclusions. Dental fear remains a concern among oral healthcare students, particularly in the earlier stages of their education. Clinical experience appears to mitigate fear associated with specific dental stimuli. The findings highlight the importance of addressing dental fear during dental education to improve students’ comfort and confidence, which could positively impact their future interactions with fearful patients.