Effectiveness of auditory distraction on the management of dental anxiety in patients undergoing tooth extraction at a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of anxiety reduction protocol using auditory distraction in alleviating dental anxiety among patients undergoing tooth extraction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Oral Surgery Department at Islamabad Dental Hospital from July to December 2022, involving 50 patients scheduled for tooth extraction. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: an interventional group, exposed to auditory distraction, and a noninterventional group, without exposure to auditory distraction before the dental extraction. Dental anxiety was measured using the modified dental anxiety scale (MDAS) questionnaire, which scores anxiety levels on a range from 5 (not anxious) to 25 (extremely anxious). Anxiety levels were assessed in the waiting room and just before extraction, and the results were compared across both groups to evaluate the effectiveness of auditory distraction in reducing dental anxiety. RESULTS: The sample size of 50 was randomly and equally allocated to the interventional and noninterventional groups. The study population consisted of 28 (56%) female and 22 (44%) male participants. No significant difference was observed between the anxiety scores of interventional and noninterventional groups at baseline. A significant reduction in anxiety scores was observed in the intervention group during postintervention assessment, while no significant difference was seen in the noninterventional group's anxiety scores. CONCLUSIONS: The study supports the efficacy of anxiety reduction protocol using auditory distraction as a practical tool for reducing dental anxiety among patients undergoing tooth extraction.

Socioeconomic determinants of demand for dental cosmetic treatments.

Introduction: The demand for cosmetic dentistry is a growing trend globally. Increased media coverage, availability of free online information, and the improved economic status of the general population have led to an increase in the patient's aesthetic expectations. Since no study has measured the relationship between the economic status of people and the choice of cosmetic dentistry in Iran and due to the growing demand for it, this study was designed. Method: In this descriptive epidemiological study, we visited three completely different areas in terms of Socioeconomic status (SES) in Tehran. A checklist was used to record the gender, job, age, education level, maternal status, and source of payment for cosmetic dentistry treatment. Result: The majority of the volunteers for dental cosmetic restoration were 23-26 years. Of 498 cosmetic restoration volunteers, 50 were men and 448 were women. As for the education level, most of the participants had a high school diploma. The cost of cosmetic restoration of 351 patients (70%) was paid by the parents or the spouse, and 147 patients paid the cost from their income. Our study showed that 7% of visits to dental clinics were only for cosmetic treatment demands in Tehran in 2021. Conclusion: Type of job, education level, and marital status had no significant relationship with the choice of cosmetic treatment while age had a significant relationship with the choice of cosmetic dental restoration treatment. In addition, the choice of cosmetic dental treatment was completely related to gender, and women were the main users of it.

Job Satisfaction among Dentists according to Workplace in Tehran.

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to assess the level of job satisfaction among dentists in Tehran, according to background determinants, working environment elements, and type of workplace in 2018. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 350 dentists, selected by convenience sampling, completed a validated Persian job satisfaction questionnaire in a dental congress (with about 1100 participants) in Tehran, and in 59 dental clinics. The questionnaire included 39 structured questions (in 12 domains) on job satisfaction, reporting the satisfaction level according to a 5-point Likert scale. The level of satisfaction was measured by summing the weighted scores of each domain. The mean job satisfaction score (out of 100) was reported according to demographic factors (age, gender, level of income, years of experience, marital status, and number of children), working environment elements (number of assistants, number of colleagues, type of workplace), and stress score (8 questions). Linear regression was applied for statistical analysis. Results: The mean score of job satisfaction was 70±10. The analysis showed that women, dentists with a low income, those working in the public sector, and those with higher stress scores had lower job satisfaction scores (P<0.05). The number of dental assistants, number of colleagues, age, work experience, marital status, number of children, and monthly number of patients had no significant correlation with job satisfaction (P>0.05). Conclusion: The level of job satisfaction was mainly related to individual determinants. Improving job satisfaction can foster the whole dental care system and working environment elements.

A Survey of Common Payment Methods and Their Determinants in Dental Clinics, in Tehran, 2018.

OBJECTIVE: It is believed that the payment method to dentists may affect their treatment decisions. Although payment systems may enhance job satisfaction, reduce the costs, and make better treatment decisions, there is little information about how to achieve these objectives. The aim of the present study was to survey the payment methods and the related factors in dental clinics of Tehran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the latest list published by the Iranian Ministry of Health, we visited all dental clinics located in Tehran, and used a checklist to collect the data of the type of management, geographical location of the clinic in Tehran, payment method and its amount, history of payment method changes in the last decade, relationship between the amount of payment and the position of technical supervisor dentist, any difference in the amount of payment to male and female dentists and to young and experienced dentists. Then, the relationship between the amount of payment and the above-mentioned variables was investigated. RESULTS: The governmental sector tends to use fixed salary methods and the private sector usually uses the fee-for-service (FFS) method. Geographical location, type of management, date of establishment, and having the position of technical supervisor dentist had a significant relationship with the amount of payment. The dentist's gender and years of experience did not have any relationship with the amount of payment. CONCLUSION: According to the results of the present study, the method and amount of payment to dentists were related to the date of clinic establishment, having the position of technical supervisor dentist, and geographical location of the clinic. These factors could be considered as the main elements in balancing costs in clinics and improving job satisfaction among dentists.