THE DENTAL WAITING-ROOM ENVIRONMENT AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH DENTAL ANXIETY IN PRIVATE DENTAL CLINICS AND HOSPITAL DENTAL DEPARTMENTS

Abstract

Background: Dental anxiety is a major barrier to oral health care. Waiting room conditions may influence pre-treatment anxiety, but evidence from private dental settings in Lahore is limited.

Objective: To assess the association between patient-perceived waiting room environmental and organizational factors and dental anxiety among adult patients attending private dental clinics and private hospital dental departments in Lahore, Pakistan.

Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the waiting rooms of 4 private dental clinics and 2 private hospitals in Lahore from Jan to Nov 2025, after approval from the IRB of Azra Naheed Dental College. Adults aged 18 years and above attending scheduled non-emergency dental care and able to understand English or Urdu were recruited through consecutive sampling. Data was collected using a questionnaire covering demographics, the Modified-Dental-Anxiety-Scale (MDAS), and a literature-informed checklist of patient-perceived waiting-room factors. Chi-square tests compared clinics and hospitals, while multinomial logistic regression identified predictors of MDAS anxiety categories.

Results: Out of 700 patients approached, 651 completed the questionnaire, with a response rate of (651)93%. The mean age was 33.2±13.7 years; 313 (48.1%) were male and 338 (51.9%) female. The mean MDAS score was 13.19±4.62. Low, moderate, and high anxieties were reported by 293( 31.2%), 360 (55.3%), and 13.5% of participants, respectively. Mean MDAS scores did not differ significantly between clinics and hospitals (p=0.115). In multivariable analysis, perceived cleanliness and minimized waiting time were independently associated with lower anxiety categories

Conclusion: Patient-perceived cleanliness and shorter waiting time were associated with lower dental anxiety in private dental settings in Lahore.