ArticleFrontiers in oral health2026
Evaluating the effectiveness of an artificial intelligence-based chatbot for reducing dental anxiety among adult dental patients.
Article in Frontiers in oral health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- [Development and psychometric validation of the User Experience Scale for Artificial Intelligence QuestionZhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
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Abstract
Background: Dental anxiety is a common psychological barrier that negatively influences dental attendance, patient cooperation, and treatment outcomes. Traditional anxiety-management strategies are often resource-intensive and difficult to implement routinely. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbots offer a scalable and accessible digital approach that may help reduce dental anxiety through patient education, reassurance, and emotional support. Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-post interventional study was conducted among 415 adult dental patients attending the outpatient clinics of the University of Ha'il, Saudi Arabia. Participants interacted with an AI-based chatbot for 10-15 min prior to treatment. Dental anxiety was assessed before and immediately after chatbot use using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) across five common dental scenarios. Demographic variables, including gender, age, educational level, and monthly income, were analysed. Chi-square tests and Spearman's correlation were applied to evaluate changes in the severity of dental anxiety and associations between pre- and post-intervention scores. Results: A statistically significant reduction in dental anxiety was observed across all five dental scenarios following chatbot interaction ( Conclusion: The use of the AI-based chatbot demonstrated a consistent association with reduced anticipatory dental anxiety across diverse patient groups and clinical scenarios. As a low-cost, scalable, and patient-centred tool, chatbot-based support may complement conventional anxiety-management strategies and support the patient experience in routine dental care.
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