The aim is to apply short-term virtual reality relaxation to examine if it is effective in reducing pre-operative dental anxiety in primary health care using an RCT.
Randomized controlled single-center trial with two parallel arms: Virtual Reality Relaxation (VRR) and Treatment As Usual (TAU) in a public oral health care unit. VRR group receiving a 1-3.5 minute 360° video immersing them in peaceful virtual landscape with audio features and sound supporting the relaxing experience. TAU groups remaining seated for 3 minutes in similar setting.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
277
1-3.5 minute 360° videos
University of Turku
Turku, Finland
Dental anxiety
post-test measured with Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, The measure has five questions, each with five reply alternatives from not anxious to extremely anxious (on a scale 1-5), MDAS sums up to the total scale (range 5-25) which is used as primary outcome. Higher scores indicate higher dental anxiety.
Time frame: immediately after intervention
Anticipatory dental anxiety and treatment related dental anxiety
The secondary outcome variables are post-test scores for the two sub-scales of the MDAS referred to as 'anticipatory' (MDAS items 1 and 2) and 'treatment' dental anxiety (MDAS items 3, 4 and 5). Scales for sum up as anticipatory anxiety (Items 1 and 2: range 2-10) and treatment anxiety (Items 3-5, range 3-15). Higher scores indicate higher dental anxiety
Time frame: immediately after intervention
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