Dentist-Patient Communication on Dental Anxiety Using the Social Media and Timing in Communication

Dentist-Patient Communication on Dental Anxiety Using the Social Media and Timing in Communication: A Double-blinded Randomized Controlled Trial

Scales application one week before and one week after impacted tooth extraction.

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of dentist-patient communication via social media on dental anxiety, and second, to evaluate the appropriate timing of such communications.

Instagram's quick replies system was used to answer patients' questions to alleviate dental anxiety for patients undergoing impacted mandibular third-molar extraction under local anesthesia. Patients were assigned randomly into four groups according to timing of such communications: Communication before operation (n=36), Communication after operation (n=35), Communication before and after operation (n=36), and a control group who received no communication on social media (n=36). Dental anxiety was evaluated one week before and after the surgical operation using recognized assessment scales-the Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Modified Dental Anxiety Scale and a visual analog scale.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Must be able to use the Instagram platform. I
• Clinicial diagnosis of mesioangular impacted lower third molar according to the classification of Winter and the Pell and Gregory classification (2 or 3/B).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who previously obtained information from social media
• Bad dental history
• Systemic disease
• Pregnant