Having a beautiful set of teeth after drug addiction

How Dentists Have Revolutionised Their Business Structure to Alleviate Fear

by Danielle Fletcher

Many people have an oversensitive defence mechanism and will irrationally fear a trip to the dentist. Usually, this type of fear is rooted in uncertainty and largely in fear of the unknown. The dental industry is very well aware of this condition, as it can deter a very large percentage of the population from looking after their teeth properly. What is this industry doing in order to help people who are simply too concerned to schedule a visit?

A Whole New Approach

So much attention has been paid to this issue over recent years that dentists are actually designing their surgeries to make these locations a less challenging environment. While the overall layout of the structure used to be based around the surgery itself and that imposing chair, now an area is being dedicated to initial meetings, where a lot of the worries are initially discussed. New patients are invited to come to visit the dentist first, without even seeing the surgery and "that chair." Psychologically, this process is known as "desensitisation", and it can often alleviate the fears.

A Casual Chat

The dentist and the new patient will sit side-by-side in casual chairs, and a general discussion will ensue. The dentist is trained to ask the right type of questions and to get a good feeling for the level of sensitivity of the patient. This visit will precede the first "real" visit, where a full comprehensive exam will take place.

Practising in Advance

Some people are choosing to practice at home to try and replicate similar sensations they will experience at the dental surgery. For example, a few people may have an anxious reaction when they can't feel anything in their gums, post-anaesthesia. While this is an entirely normal part of any procedure, they can use some shop-bought anaesthetic to simulate how it may feel in advance.

Show and Tell

Once the potential new patient has had a meeting with the dentist and may have "experimented" a little at home, then the dentist can proceed with any needed work. However, they will make sure that they fully explain what they are about to do before actually doing it and introduce the tools and products to the patient ahead of time. This will also help to reduce the general fear of the unknown.

What to Do Next

If you have any worries about visiting a dentist, have a word with the receptionist when you initially call, so that you can make an appointment in the office initially, rather than go right into the treatment room.

Share