Virtual Reality Relaxation to Decrease Dental Anxiety: Immediate Effect Randomized Clinical Trial

INTRODUCTION: Dental anxiety is common and causes symptomatic use of oral health services.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to study if a short-term virtual reality intervention reduced pre-operative dental anxiety.

METHODS: Randomized controlled single-center trial was conducted with two parallel arms: Virtual Reality Relaxation (VRR) and Treatment As Usual (TAU) in a public oral health care unit. VRR group received a 1–3.5 minute 360°immersion video of a peaceful virtual landscape with audio features and sound supporting the experience. TAU groups remained seated for 3 minutes. Of the powered sample of 280 participants, 255 consented and had complete data. Total and secondary gender specific mixed-effects linear regression models were completed for the post-test dental anxiety (MDAS total score) and its two factors (Anticipatory and Treatment-related dental anxiety) adjusted for the baseline (pre-test) MDAS total and factor scores and age taking into account the effect of blocking.

RESULTS: Total and anticipatory dental anxiety decreased more in VRR compared to TAU groups (β -0.75 p<.001 for MDAS total score; β -0.43 p<.001 for anticipatory anxiety score) in patients of primary dental care clinic. In females dental anxiety decreased more in VRR compared to TAU group for total MDAS score (β -1.08 p<.001) and treatment-related dental anxiety (β -0.597 p=.011). Anticipatory dental anxiety decreased more in VRR compared to TAU group both in males (β -0.217, p<.026) and females (β -0.498, p<.001).

CONCLUSION: Short application of VRR is both feasible and effective to reduce preoperative dental anxiety in public dental care settings. (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03993080)