Dental fear linked with dentist appearance, clinical environment and sensory perceptions in 897 preschool children

Dental fear was reported by 83.0% of 897 preschool children aged 2 to 7 years in an observational cross-sectional questionnaire study, according to the study abstract. The survey assessed dental fear, perceptions of the dentist and clinical environment, and previous dental experiences in 15 randomly selected preschool facilities. The sample included 442 girls and 455 boys, with a mean age of 4.8 years, and was stratified by age, sex and geographic location.

Trained dentists administered an 18-question questionnaire directly to the children using standardized verbal and pictorial instructions. The statistical analysis included two-sample t-tests, multivariate analysis of variance with post-hoc Duncan’s test, and Pearson’s chi-square tests. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were used for binary comparisons, while Cramér’s V was used for multicategory variables; statistical significance was set at p = 0.05. The abstract reports that 89.1% of children had already visited a dentist, with a mean age of 2.1 years at their first visit.

Several associations involved children’s preferences or perceptions. Girls were more likely than boys to prefer a female dentist and a “colorful” rather than “white outfit” (p < 0.001). Children who were afraid of drilling were more likely to perceive the dentist as having a “bad smell” (p = 0.003). Anxious children and girls were more likely to prefer an office setting with pictures (p < 0.001). Children with experience of drilling were also more likely to report fear of tooth extraction and injection, procedures they had not experienced (p = 0.039).

The findings are cross-sectional associations within this preschool population, not evidence that appearance, sensory perceptions, environmental features or prior experiences caused the reported fears. The study design does not measure changes in fear over time or establish the effects of an intervention. Interpretation is also limited by the observational design and reliance on children’s questionnaire responses to characterize dental fear, dentist appearance, sensory perceptions and the clinical environment. The authors concluded that dental fear was highly prevalent in the sample and was associated with previous dental experiences, demographic characteristics and dental-office conditions. Because the supplied source presents an early, open-access version that may undergo further editing, this report summarizes the findings stated in the abstract.

Subject of Research: Associations between dental fear, dentist appearance, sensory perceptions and clinical-environment preferences in preschool children

Article Title: Modifiable factors influencing dental fear in preschool children: the role of dentist appearance, clinical environment, and sensory perceptions

Article References: Vasakova, J., Dokoupilova, E., Urbanova, W., Mysak, J., & Polackova, P. (2026). Modifiable factors influencing dental fear in preschool children: the role of dentist appearance, clinical environment, and sensory perceptions. BMC Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-026-07653-1

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12887-026-07653-1

Keywords: dental fear, preschool children, dental treatment, dentist appearance, sensory perceptions, clinical environment, cross-sectional survey, questionnaire study, Modifiable, factors, influencing, dental