Corah Dental Anxiety Scale
Also known as: DAS, CDAS
The Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS), also known as the Dental Anxiety Scale, is a brief 4-item self-report questionnaire designed to measure anxiety associated with dental treatment. Developed by Norman L. Corah in 1969, the DAS is the most widely used instrument for assessing dental anxiety in clinical practice and research, valued for its brevity, ease of administration, and strong psychometric properties.
Key highlights
- Ultra-brief and practical — only 4 items taking less than 1 minute, maximizing feasibility in busy dental practices.
- Excellent psychometric properties — internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.82), good test-retest reliability, and strong correlations with behavioral avoidance and dental treatment outcomes.
- Practical cutoff values — well-established cutoff of 13+ identifies clinically significant dental anxiety requiring intervention.
- Public domain and free — not copyrighted; freely available for clinical and research use.
Intuition
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How it works
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When to use it
The DAS is recommended for routine screening of dental anxiety in dental practice settings, dental research, and clinical trials examining dental interventions or anxiety management strategies. It is suitable for adolescents (aged 12 and older) and adults. The DAS is particularly useful as a rapid screening tool before dental procedures to identify patients requiring anxiety management. It is less appropriate for comprehensive anxiety assessment across multiple domains.
Strengths & limitations
- Ultra-brief and practical — only 4 items taking less than 1 minute, maximizing feasibility in busy dental practices.
- Excellent psychometric properties — internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.82), good test-retest reliability, and strong correlations with behavioral avoidance and dental treatment outcomes.
- Practical cutoff values — well-established cutoff of 13+ identifies clinically significant dental anxiety requiring intervention.
- Public domain and free — not copyrighted; freely available for clinical and research use.
- Ultra-brief scope — 4 items may not capture all dimensions of dental anxiety (e.g., specific procedural fears, pain expectations); longer scales may be necessary for comprehensive assessment.
- Situational specificity — measures dental anxiety specifically; does not assess general anxiety levels or other anxiety disorders.
- Limited detail — does not distinguish between anticipatory anxiety and anxiety during treatment, limiting clinical specificity.
Common pitfalls
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Applications
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Frequently asked
What DAS score indicates that a patient should receive anxiety management?
A score of 13 indicates moderate anxiety; 14 or higher indicates high anxiety. Many dentists offer anxiety management interventions (relaxation techniques, shorter appointments, sedation options) for patients with scores of 13 or higher. Individual patient preference also matters.
Is the DAS suitable for children?
The DAS is validated for ages 12 and older. For younger children, a separate measure (e.g., Frankl Scale for behavioral observation) is more appropriate.
Can the DAS be used repeatedly to track anxiety during dental treatment?
Yes. The DAS can be administered at each visit or at key points (baseline, mid-treatment, post-treatment) to track changes in dental anxiety. This is useful for monitoring the effectiveness of anxiety management interventions.
How does the DAS differ from longer dental anxiety measures?
The DAS (4 items) is ultra-brief and practical for routine screening. Longer measures (e.g., Dental Fear Scale, 20 items) assess dental anxiety dimensions in greater detail. Use DAS for rapid screening; use longer measures when detailed assessment is needed.
Sources
- 1.Corah, N. L. (1969). Development of a dental anxiety scale. Journal of Dental Research, 48(4), 596.
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Cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Corah Dental Anxiety Scale. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/clinical-psychology/dental-anxiety-scale