Table 1.

CFSS-DS mean item scores and standard deviations (SD) for all children, girls, and boys

Item	Total (N = 1546)	Girls (N = 748)	Boys (N = 798)	t-test (p value)
	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)
1. Dentists	1.63 (1.02)	1.85 (1.19)	1.42 (0.77)	71.7 (<0.001)*
2. Doctors	1.47 (0.92)	1.60 (1.07)	1.34 (0.74)	30.6 (<0.001)*
3. Injections	2.49 (1.45)	2.73 (1.53)	2.27 (1.33)	39.7(<0.001)*
4. Somebody examines your mouth	1.37 (0.85)	1.55 (1.05)	1.20 (0.56)	66.1(<0.001)*
5. Having to open your mouth	1.47 (0.93)	1.67 (1.10)	1.28 (0.69)	70.2(<0.001)*
6. Having a stranger touch you	2.06 (1.35)	2.35 (1.47)	1.78 (1.16)	71.1(<0.001)*
7. Having somebody look at you	1.56 (1.05)	1.74 (1.22)	1.39 (0.81)	42.4(<0.001)*
8. The dentist drilling	2.22 (1.39)	2.58 (1.51)	1.89 (1.19)	100.0(<0.001)*
9. The sight of the dentist drilling	1.92 (1.28)	2.21 (1.43)	1.65 (1.04)	76.9(<0.001)*
10. The noise of the dentist drilling	1.76 (1.18)	2.02 (1.33)	1.53 (0.95)	69.9(<0.001)*
11. Instruments in your mouth	1.80 (1.21)	2.16 (1.39)	1.46 (0.89)	136.4(<0.001)*
12. Choking	2.21 (1.36)	2.51 (1.45)	1.93 (1.22)	71.7(<0.001)*
13. Having to go to the hospital	1.43 (0.95)	1.55 (1.10)	1.32 (0.77)	21.8(<0.001)*
14. People in white uniforms	1.27 (0.77)	1.38 (0.96)	1.15 (0.52)	34.9(<0.001)*
15. Dentist cleaning your teeth	1.42 (0.91)	1.62 (1.09)	1.24 (0.65)	68.0(<0.001)*
Total CFSS-DS score	26.09 (10.70)	29.50 (12.34)	22.89 (7.61)	163.05 (<0.001)*

*Statistically significant: p < 0.05

Mean item score = mean of 5 Likert points

Mean total CFSS-DS score = mean sum of scores on all 15 items