OBJECTIVES: This dataset provides information on dental anxiety and psychological distress experienced by patients in Albania and Germany. Data were collected using the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18). Additional information on oral health and dental care behaviors was also obtained.

DATA DESCRIPTION: The dataset contains the responses from 263 patients ( N  = 133 German and N  = 130 Albanian) who completed questionnaires between December 2019 and July 2020. The variables include measures of dental anxiety (DAS), psychological distress (BSI-18), and self-reported oral health behaviors such as the tooth brushing frequency, frequency of dental visits, frequency of tartar removal, and frequency of professional teeth cleaning. The dataset also includes measures of subjective health status and oral health-related self-efficacy. The dataset enables for cross-cultural comparisons and supports further research into the relationship between dental anxiety, psychological distress, and oral health practices.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13104-026-07681-1.