[Some background data about the high dental anxiety of the Hungarian population].

100 dental patients waiting for hypnotic dental treatment (n = 100, 58 female, 42 male, mean age: 36.4 +/- 10.6 yr.) was investigated about their perceived origins of dental anxiety. Dental anxiety levels (DAS, DFS) and general anxiety were measured as well. Mean dental anxiety scores were high (DAS: 12.5 +/- 3.3; DFS: 47.9 +/- 17.3). The most frequent reason of high dental anxiety was previous painful dental treatment (20.0%), dislike of dentist's behaviour (15.0%), treatment error (5.0%), and "other reasons" (4.0%). A large amount of the patients (48.0%) did not know what to expect, and 8.0% indicate no fear related to dentistry. Previous painful dental treatment induced the highest dental anxiety (DAS: 15.1 +/- 3.1; DFS: 58.1 +/- 20.3), followed by the "other reasons" (DAS: 14.0 +/- 0.8; DFS: 50.5 +/- 13.5), treatment error (DAS: 13.0 +/- 3.7; DFS: 49.0 +/- 16.1), and dislike of dentist's behaviour (DAS: 11.4 +/- 2.8; DFS: 45.0 +/- 12.5). Increased general anxiety was found in the groups indicated previous painful dental treatment, "other reasons", and no expectation.