R. Moore et al., HYPNOSIS COMPARED WITH GROUP-THERAPY AND INDIVIDUAL DESENSITIZATION FOR DENTAL ANXIETY, European journal of oral sciences, 104(5-6), 1996, pp. 612-618
Effects of hypnotherapy (HT) and self-hypnosis training on extreme den
tal anxiety in adults aged 19-65 years were compared with group therap
y (GT) and individual desensitization (SD) using scales of dental anxi
ety: dental beliefs, and fear of a nest dentist (after specialist trea
tment). All experimental groups were demographically comparable and sh
owed reduced anxiety and improved dental beliefs compared with 51 cont
rol patients. The 25 HT patients did not differ significantly in numbe
rs of dropouts during training compared with the 30 GT patients or 68
SD patients. For patients completing treatment, HT (n=22) reduced dent
al anxiety to the same degree as GT (n=24) and SD (n=60). HT and SD pa
tients required more therapist hours per patient than did CT, but tota
l dropouts at 1 yr after specialist treatment were significantly great
er in HT (13/ 25) than for SD rehearsals (5/34) or SD video (8/32), bu
t not GT (15/30). Hypnotizability was found to vary from patient to pa
tient. with a direct relationship to time saved. But hypnotizability h
ad an inverse relationship to STAI general anxiety level for those who
went on to dentists after 1 year. Transference effectswere noted for
most HT dropout patients as an aversive response to continued dental t
reatment with other dentists than the specialist.