Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS)

The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) is a brief 5-item self-report instrument measuring anxiety anticipation and response to common dental situations. Developed by Humphris and colleagues in 1995 as a refinement of prior instruments, the MDAS has become the gold standard for rapid dental anxiety screening in clinical practice and research. Its brevity, psychometric rigor, and clinical utility have made it the most frequently used measure of dental anxiety internationally.