The Dental Fear Survey Schedule: a study with Finnish children

The reliability and validity of the Dental Fear Survey Schedule for Children (DFSS-C) was examined in a sample of 828 school children in Finland. The DFSS-C mean was 22.1. Choking, injections and drilling were the most common fears. Internal consistency indicated a high level of reliability. Factor analysis (principal components, varimax rotation) found three factors accounting for 54% of the scale variance. Factors were defined as (1) fear of highly invasive procedures, such as injections and drilling; (2) fear of potential victimization, including fear of strangers, choking and hospitals; and (3) fear of less invasive procedures, such as opening the mouth and being examined by the dentist. The factor pattern was similar to results obtained with a sample of children in the United States. There were significant differences in fear score for children whose parents reported them fearful and/or reported them to have had a previous bad experience at the dentist. Boys (but not girls) who had a DMFT score of at least 1 had a significantly higher mean DFSS-C score (21.1) than those who were caries free (20.0). These data suggest the DFSS-C operates in Finland as it does in the United States, but that culture-specific minimal scores for determining high dental fear are needed.