Comprehensive Summary
This study examined and determined the reliability and validity of a new AI-based tool, the RMS-Digital Anxiety Scale (RMS-DAS), developed to gauge dental anxiety in children. To test its reliability, 76 children aged 4–12 years completed the scale twice, one week apart. This was done while validity was assessed in 140 children by comparing RMS-DAS scores with two established scales, the RMS-Pictorial Scale (RMS-PS) and the Facial Image Scale (FIS). Researchers found the internal consistency to be high (Cronbach’s α=0.81). They also found the test–retest reliability showed a strong correlation (r=0.7). The Cronbach's alpha and test-retest were assessed via paired t-test, coefficient correlation, and scatterplot. RMS-DAS scores also strongly correlated with RMS-PS (r=0.74) and FIS (r=0.73), which confirmed validity and reliability. Across age and gender groups, the scale performed consistently and with a particularly strong reliability in younger children. Notably, RMS-DAS was also the preferred tool among participants, where it was chosen by 63.6% of children.
Outcomes and Implications
This research is important because it introduces an AI-driven scale that is child-friendly, which captures their facial expressions to assess anxiety. This can overcome the limitations of traditional pictorial or questionnaire-based tools. In clinical settings, RMS-DAS provides dentists with a reliable, quick, and engaging way to evaluate anxiety before treatment. This can aid dentists in guiding behavior management strategies and improving patient cooperation. The scale’s digital format also makes it practical for routine use in dental clinics, making it potentially adaptable to medical settings. With further refinement and larger-scale validation, AI-based scales like RMS-DAS could become valuable assets in pediatric care, where these scales combine accuracy with accessibility to better manage children’s treatment experiences.