Table 3.
Sample characteristics reported by the students’ parents (n = 1399).
| Characteristic | No. (%) of Respondents | |
|---|---|---|
| Father’s education: | ||
| lower | 402 | (43.9) |
| higher | 514 | (56.1) |
| missing | 483 | |
| Mother’s education: | ||
| lower | 374 | (33.3) |
| higher | 748 | (66.7) |
| missing | 277 | |
| Age at the first visit to the dentist: | ||
| up to 6 years | 636 | (54.2) |
| 6 years or older | 537 | (45.8) |
| missing | 226 | |
| Parental opinion about child’s dental fear: | ||
| has a dental fear | 454 | (32.6) |
| earlier had a dental fear | 277 | (19.9) |
| no dental fear | 660 | (47.4) |
| missing | 8 | |
| Dental fear was caused by the toothache: | ||
| no | 1286 | (92.5) |
| yes | 105 | (7.5) |
| missing | 8 | |
| Dental fear was caused by dentist’s actions: | ||
| no | 1256 | (90.3) |
| yes | 135 | (9.7) |
| missing | 8 | |
| Dental fear was caused by too young a child: | ||
| no | 1126 | (80.9) |
| yes | 265 | (19.1) |
| missing | 8 | |
| Dental fear was caused by high child’s sensitivity: | ||
| no | 1168 | (83.9) |
| yes | 224 | (16.1) |
| missing | 7 | |
| Fear was caused by poor psychological readiness: | ||
| no | 1317 | (94.7) |
| yes | 74 | (5.3) |
| missing | 8 | |