Correlates of Dental Anxiety Among Patients Awaiting Oral Surgical Procedures at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano State

Dental anxiety is a well-recognized barrier to timely treatment-seeking and patient cooperation during oral surgical procedures, contributing to suboptimal outcomes and increased intraoperative complications. This cross-sectional study investigates the prevalence and correlates of dental anxiety among patients awaiting oral surgical procedures at the dental clinic of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano State, North West Nigeria. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) was administered to 280 adult patients in the pre-operative waiting area. Sociodemographic data, previous dental treatment experiences, nature of planned procedure, and presence of comorbidities were also recorded. Results indicate that 38.2% of patients exhibited moderate to severe dental anxiety, with extraction and surgical third molar removal being the procedures most associated with high anxiety scores. Female patients, younger adults, and individuals with prior negative dental experiences reported significantly higher anxiety levels. Fear of pain was the dominant anxiety trigger, followed by fear of injection and fear of blood. Educational attainment was inversely associated with anxiety severity. The study recommends the routine use of validated anxiety screening tools in oral surgery waiting areas and the adoption of anxiety reduction protocols including pre-operative counseling, audio-visual distraction, and structured communication by clinical staff. These measures are particularly relevant in high-volume public clinic settings like AKTH. Keywords: dental anxiety, Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, oral surgery, Kano, pre-operative assessment.