The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · PsychologyYouth Dental Anxiety Lab
Laura D Seligman · Edinburg, Texas
Research Focus
Dr. Laura D. Seligman's lab at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley focuses on addressing dental phobia among youth, particularly in Hispanic populations where such issues are prevalent. The lab aims to evaluate a one-session treatment approach to help children and adolescents overcome their fear of dental care, ultimately leading to better oral health outcomes. Their research not only targets treatment efficacy but also seeks to understand the underlying mechanisms of anxiety related to dental experiences.
dental phobiaexposure therapyHispanic youthanxiety disordersoral healthclinical trialone-session treatmentinhibitory learningpsychologydental care
Research Aims
5AIM 01Conduct a clinical trial to assess the efficacy of one-session treatment for dental phobia in youth.
AIM 02Examine the role of inhibitory learning as a mechanism for reducing anxiety related to dental care.
AIM 03Develop study documentation and finalize clinical sites for trial execution.
AIM 04Evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of procedures for treating dental phobia.
AIM 05Investigate dissemination strategies for implementing effective treatment in dental practices.
Skills the Lab Values
clinical trialspatient recruitmentdata collectionpsychological assessmentintervention developmentcommunity outreachanxiety measurementstatistical analysismixed methods research
Output against the department
Publications67bottom 16% of dept.250th of 296
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations2.2kbottom 21% of dept.234th of 296
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.