ObjectiveThis study aimed to systematically evaluate the prevalence of dental anxiety in Chinese adults and to provide references for decision making on oral healthcare.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Web of Science, Ebsco, Embase, The Cochrane Library, WanFang Data, CNKI, and VIP database to collect cross-sectional studies on dental anxiety in Chinese adults from the establishment of the databases to 30 September 2022. After literature screening, data extraction, and evaluation of the risk of bias in the included studies by two researchers independently, R 4.0.4 software was used to perform a Meta-analysis.ResultsA total of 39 studies were included, including 24 309 subjects. Meta-analysis showed that the prevalence of dental anxiety in Chinese adults was 35.39% [95%CI (31.31%, 40.01%)]. Subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence rates of male and female adults were 32.92% and 44.78%, respectively. The prevalence rates of adults aged 16-39,40-59, ≥60 were 49.37%, 47.13%, and 37.41%, respectively. The prevalence rates of mild, moderate, and severe patients were 13.81%, 15.15%, and 9.24%, respectively. The prevalence rates of adults with elementary school and below, middle school, and university and above education levels were 33.81%, 35.84%, and 36.24%, respectively. The prevalence rates were 39.45% and 45.90% in adults with and without dental-treatment history, respectively. The prevalence rates of adults surveyed in dental and non-dental clinics were 27.10% and 39.31%, respectively.ConclusionThe prevalence of dental anxiety in Chinese adults was relatively high, primarily moderate anxiety, and it was more likely to occur in women, young people, and groups with no history of dental treatment. Early intervention should be performed for adults with dental anxiety to improve their awareness of oral healthcare and treatment compliance and thus to promote the oral-health level of adults in China.
