The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of dentist-patient communication via social media on dental anxiety, and second, to evaluate the appropriate timing of such communications.~Instagram's quick replies system was used to answer patients' questions to alleviate dental anxiety for patients undergoing impacted mandibular third-molar extraction under local anesthesia. Patients were assigned randomly into four groups according to timing of such communications: Communication before operation (n=36), Communication after operation (n=35), Communication before and after operation (n=36), and a control group who received no communication on social media (n=36). Dental anxiety was evaluated one week before and after the surgical operation using recognized assessment scales-the Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Modified Dental Anxiety Scale and a visual analog scale.
Scales application one week before and one week after impacted tooth extraction.