Abstract

The aim of this study was to record the level of anxiety and last recorded visit for a dental check-up of a random sample of 300 workers at three sites in the North-west of England. All subjects were asked to complete a short written questionnaire and 255 (85 per cent) usable forms were returned. The mean level of anxiety using the Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) (N.L. Corah, 1969, J. Dent. Res. 48, 596) was 9.1. Females had a statistically higher mean DAS than males but there was no correlation between DAS and either age or occupational status. Those subjects who claimed not to have had a check-up in the past year had a significantly higher mean DAS than those who claimed to have been in the past year. Multiple regression analysis showed that the reported time interval since the last check-up was the most important predictor of the DAS score. The implications of the results are considered for the future of restorative dentistry.