Dental anxiety is more than a matter of personal preference or willpower. Anxiety and fear can be barriers to dental care. The Founder studies how dental anxiety relates to dental attendance, oral health and general health.
RESEARCH BACKGROUND
What research is helping us understand
These are the Founder's academic studies. They do not establish health benefits from DentalGO App or DentalGO CBT themselves.
Is dental anxiety being treated only as a problem within the clinic?
A conceptual mapping review published in 2026 brought together evidence from earlier reviews on pathways that may connect dental anxiety with avoidance of care, oral health, effects on daily life and general health. It presents a research framework and questions for further study; it does not establish that dental anxiety directly causes cardiovascular disease.
Publication details and sources
Dental Anxiety as a Potential Bottleneck in Oral–Systemic Health Pathways: A Conceptual Mapping Review of Review Articles Mika Kajita, Vesa Pohjola, Gerald Humphris, Satu Lahti Dentistry Journal. 2026;14(4):227. DOI: 10.3390/dj14040227 ↗
Is dental anxiety the same as general anxiety?
Using adult data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort, this study examined associations between dental anxiety, general anxiety and depression. Dental anxiety and general anxiety were associated, but cannot simply be treated as the same construct. This was an analysis of cross-sectional associations, not evidence of causation.
Publication details and sources
Associations of dental anxiety, depression, and general anxiety: A structural equation modeling study in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 Mika Kajita, Priyanka Choudhary, Vesa Pohjola, Gerald Humphris, Jouko Miettunen, Satu Lahti European Journal of Oral Sciences. 2026;134(2):e70062. DOI: 10.1111/eos.70062 ↗
How can we understand children's fear of the dentist?
In the FinnBrain Birth Cohort, researchers examined the association between parent-reported dental fear at age five and children's own reports at age nine. The association was modest, suggesting that parental reports alone do not fully explain later fear.
Publication details and sources
Modest Longitudinal Associations Between Parent-Reported Dental Fear at Age 5 and Child-Reported Dental Fear at Age 9: A FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study Mika Kajita, Akie Yada, Vesa Pohjola, Linnea Karlsson, Hasse Karlsson, Satu Lahti Dentistry Journal. 2026;14(6):344. DOI: 10.3390/dj14060344 ↗
2026 / FIRST WEB POC
Our first seven-day experience, tried in practice.
In 2026, DentalGO App's first seven-day web prototype brought together brushing reports, interactions with characters and dental knowledge. Participants were invited to use it in practice.
We examined continued use, usability and changes in knowledge, and are preparing the findings for an academic paper. No specific research results are presented on this page.
This proof of concept did not establish increased dental attendance or reduced dental anxiety.
