Aim:

Fear from dentists and dental treatments is common in society. The aim of this study is to investigate the level of dental anxiety, continuity and state anxiety, comparison and affecting factors in the 1st grade students of the Vocational School of Health Services (NOS) of Namik Kemal University Vocational School of Health Services.

Materials and Methods:

It is a cross-sectional study. The universe of the study is composed of the first year students of SHMYO / SYO (N = 362). The study reached 319 students (88%). Three questionnaires were applied to the students who volunteered to participate in the study. In the study, the relationship between the Dental Anxiety Score, Continuous and Instantaneous Anxiety Scores, Scale scores, and scores of scale scores were investigated and predicted anxiety prevalence rates were obtained.

Results:

As a result of the study, there was a significant relationship between DMAS and genders (p = 0.001). There was no relationship between tooth brushing frequency and MDAS (p = 0.253). There was a correlation between the frequency of going to the dentist and MDAS (p = 0.003). Recommendations of family and friends have a significant impact on the choice of individuals. There was a negative correlation between the MDI value and the TXI and TXII values in the pearson correlation analysis. It did not reach enough significance. There was no statistically significant correlation between MDAS and TXII values (r = 0,054).

Conclusions:

Women have higher dental concerns than men. This may be due to the patriarchal understanding common in society, because males are unable to express emotions that may show themselves weaker than women. In the light of these results, it was concluded that dental anxiety was independent of sociodemographic characteristics and state-trait anxiety.

Keywords: Dental anxiety, tooth brushing