A cross-sectional examination of the relationship between learning environment and anxiety among dental hygiene students.

Objective: This study's purpose was to determine if the learning environment impacts student anxiety in a dental hygiene program by evaluating the two main learning environments: the dental clinic and the traditional classroom. This study also examined educational tasks and their association with anxiety in each learning environment.

Methods: A web-based survey was conducted using a convenience sample of dental hygiene students enrolled in a two or four year CODA-accredited dental hygiene program in the United States.