Conclusions
The complexities of phobic dental anxiety that baffled
Swedish researchers in the late 1970s are perhaps only
now beginning to be understood. Embarrassment is a
complex dental anxiety manifestation showing clinical
differences by complaint characteristics and perceived
intensity. Some of present cases exhibited manifestations
similar to psychiatric criteria for social anxiety disorder,
while most manifested embarrassment as a side effect.
Sensitivity and understanding about the psychosocial
nature of the dental health care environment should be an
aim in the education of dentists in the 21st century, in
order to prevent and treat suffering from extreme or phobic
dental anxiety and related dysfunctional phenomena.