Exploring gender-based variations in pediatric dental fear, avoidance behaviors, and cooperation levels

Abstract

Background. Addressing dental fear in children is an important and challenging aspect of clinical dental practice. Dental fear may result in an uncooperative attitude in children, negatively affect treatment outcomes, and create considerable pressure on dental staff. Objectives. To assess how gender differences affect dental fear, avoidance, and cooperation in the dental setting among children. Materials and methods. This comparative cross-sectional study was carried out among 240 children, 120 boys and 120 girls, aged 7-12 years, attending a university-based teaching pediatric dental clinic. Fear and avoidance were measured using the Dental Fear and Avoidance Scale (DFAS), a two-item scale rated on a 10-point scale, from 1 = no fear/avoidance to 10 = extreme fear/avoidance. The operating dentist measured child cooperation using the Frankl Behavior Rating Scale, which classifies behavior into four levels ranging from definitely negative to definitely positive. Results. No statistically significant differences were found between girls and boys regarding dental fear (mean difference = 0.24, p = 0.47) or avoidance (mean difference = 0.59, p = 0.10). Similarly, gender did not significantly affect cooperation levels (p = 0.75). Conclusions. Within the limitations of this study, including the restricted sample size, university-based clinical setting, and specific age group, gender did not have a significant effect on dental fear, avoidance, or cooperation in children in this clinical setting.