Preliminary Validation and Reliability of the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale

Abstract

An 8-question Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale was developed to assess children's concerns about specific dental procedures. These dental situations include examination, scale and polish, injection, filling, extraction, and relative and general anaesthesia. A question about how the child felt generally when visiting the dentist was also included. Children ( n = 314) from two schools in Liverpool, ages 8 to 15 years, completed a questionnaire including the modified scale, Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale, the Dental Fear Survey Schedule for Children, and background questions (age, sex and previous dental experience). The internal consistency was favourable (α = .84) and test-retest reliability acceptable. This initial study suggests that the scale may be useful in trials to assess the benefits of interventions to assist children receive dental treatment.