Attitudes to dental visits in a child population attending public dental health care in Jonkoping, Sweden-trends over 40 years

Purpose To study attitudes to dental visits in a child population attending public dental health care between 1973 and 2013. Methods Random samples of individuals aged 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 years took part in cross-sectional studies based on clinical parameters and a questionnaire, all repeated every 10 years using the same study design. One question related to dental attitude; "What do you feel at the prospect of an appointment with a dentist?". The affirmative answers werefull of expectation,unaffected,ill at ease,frightened and sick, representing positive, neutral and negative attitudes. During the same 40-year period, a dental health care system based on prevention and regular dental appointments was reinforced. Results In preschool children, the most pronounced change was an increase in the number of children reportingfull of expectationduring the study period. In 10-, 15- and 20-year-olds, there was an increase inunaffectedand a decrease inill at easeover time. A reduction infrightenedwas only seen in the 20-year-olds. Conclusions Despite a simultaneous dramatic decline in caries and a reduced need for operative dental treatment, the dental attitudes were fairly constant during the 40-year period. The moderate shifts to more positive or neutral dental attitudes were merely seen during the first 10 or 20 years. After this, the changes in answers were limited. This leads to the assumption that factors other than dental treatment experiences have an impact on dental attitudes in children.