Reliability and validity of a faces version of the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale

Background. A new version of the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDAS) was formed by adding a faces rating scale to the original numeric form. Aims. To describe the psychometric properties of the faces version of the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDAS(f)), and to provide normative data for dental anxiety for children using the MCDAS(f). Design. To determine the test-retest reliability, 287 schoolchildren aged 8-10 years completed the MCDAS(f) on two separate occasions 17 weeks apart. To determine the criterion validity, 207 schoolchildren aged 10-12 years completed the MCDAS(f) and the CFSS-DS at the same sitting. Construct validity was assessed using a cohort of 206 consecutive child dental patients and their parents. Results. The MCDAS(f) showed good test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.80) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.82). The MCDAS(f) significantly correlated with the CFSS-DS (r = 0.80, P < 0.001). Dental anxiety assessed using the MCDAS(f) was related to the dmft (t = -2.17, P = 0.03), DMFT (t = -4.19, P < 0.001), and dental general anaesthetic experience (t = -4.46, P < 0.01). The mean MCDAS(f) score for the normative sample (n = 475) was 19.81 (95% CI: 19.20, 20.43). Conclusions. The MCDAS(f) is a reliable and valid measure of dental anxiety in children aged 8-12 years.