Dental anxiety of parents in an israeli kibbutz population and their prediction of their children's behavior in the dental office

Background: Previous studies have suggested that a child's dental anxiety is mainly influenced by the maternal dental anxiety. As modern society evolves the conventional structure of the family changes and both parents take equal part in the child's upbringing. Aim: The aims of the present study were: 1. To evaluate and compare the levels of dental anxiety among kibbutz-bred and city-bred parents, whose children were dentally treated.; 2. To examine the effect of selected sociodemographic variables on parental attitudes toward the dental situation on their dental anxiety; 3. To assess the parents' ability to evaluate their children's future behavior at the dental office. Study design: seventy-four parents, 44 from a kibbutz and 31 that live in a city comprised the study population. Dental anxiety was assessed by using Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale and Kleinknecht's Dental Fear Survey. The future behavior of the parent's child in the dental office was evaluated by Parental assessment of child's behavior. Results: No significant difference was found in the level of dental anxiety between kibbutz-member parents and city parents. Gender had no significant influence on the levels of dental anxiety among parents. Conclusions: The old axiom that dental anxiety is more prevalent among women is questioned. Dental anxiety of children may be equally influenced by both parents.