The influence of social and ethnic factors on dental care habits and dental anxiety: a study in Israel

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Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to assess the influence of social and ethnic factors on dental care habits and dental anxiety in a group of children resident in Jerusalem, Israel. Four hundred and fifty-six children completed a questionnaire that included 21 questions: nine referred to socio-demographic variables, three concerned the children's dental care habits, and the remaining nine concerned dental anxiety. Social level was determined by the father's occupation and their area of residence. Ethnic background was established according to the mother's or grandmother's country of origin. Chi-squared tests revealed no significant differences between social class or ethnic origin and dental care habits or dental anxiety. Analysis of variance, however, revealed a significant difference between the anxiety reported by boys of the two ethnic groups studied. Dental care habits were good in the majority of the children of all backgrounds, and the level of dental anxiety was low in all groups. It was concluded that ethnic origin had an influence on dental anxiety only in boys, whereas ethnic origin and social class had no influence on dental care habits.