A short English version of the Fear of Dental Pain Questionnaire

Fear of dental pain is a highly relevant covariate in dental pain research. The present study was designed to develop a short version of the Fear of Dental Pain questionnaire (FDPQ) in order to facilitate research in this area. The original 18-item FDPQ was translated from Dutch to English, and data from previously published and unpublished studies (all Dutch-speaking subjects) were used to examine psychometric properties (n = 960). A short version was constructed based on psychometric properties and face validity of the items. Five items were selected for a short FDPQ. A strong correlation was found between the original and the short version (r = 0.96). Factor analysis revealed a one-dimensional solution, explaining ≈ 76% of the variance, with high internal consistency (alpha = 0.87). The short FDPQ allows rapid identification, by dentists, of patients who may require special attention, longer appointments, and specific dental pain management. In addition, it would assist in the development and evaluation of tailored interventions aimed at this group.