"Assessing the Impact of Personalized Music Playlists on Procedural Anxiety and Crown Preparation Performance Among Young Dentists: A Randomized Controlled Trial"

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of personalized music playlists in reducing procedural anxiety among young dentists performing crown preparations for porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns. A randomized controlled trial with a parallel-group design was conducted at the Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dentistry, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, from April 12th, 2024, to October 11th, 2024. A total of 64 young dentists (20-30 years old) were randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group (Group A), which listened to personalized music during the procedure, and the control group (Group B), which received no music. Anxiety was measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before and after the procedure. Physiological parameters, including heart rate and respiratory rate, were also monitored. The preparation was evaluated based on a structured scoring rubric, assessing critical parameters. The scoring was conducted by two experienced prosthodontists who were blinded to the participant's group allocation. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0.0, with a p-value of \<0.05 considered statistically significant.