Almost 60 percent of the public suffers from dental fear and anxiety.

As a result of this statistic, many dental offices throughout the world advertise that they “cater to cowards”. This phrase is to convey the message that they compassionately manage the anxious patient.

A patient’s anxiety shows up as dental avoidance. They avoid making an appointment or they do not show up; leading to severe oral health complications and a low quality of life. Within a dental office, anxious patients can become irritable or uncooperative. These responses are problematic not only for the patient but also dental professionals.

Causes

Dental anxiety can be caused by a past traumatic dental experience, other traumatic incidence, abuse, or other healthcare experience. This fear does not have to last. Dentists have the expertise, sensitivity and appropriate technology to make your visit as pleasant and comfortable as possible.

The main focus is to be sensitive to the patient’s needs and concerns. Dentists must be compassionate. Also, the dentist and their staff must reassure patients that they have the patient’s best interest at heart. The dental team can help patients through their dental anxiety by using a number of calming techniques.

The following are strategies dentists apply to effectively manage, treat and encourage anxious dental patients. These techniques have been proven to be valuable for this typical patient:

Caring and communication

For a patient with dental anxiety, empathy and understanding go a long way. Taking time to listen to a patient voice their fears and concerns can make the patient feel welcomed and ultimately relaxed.

A good dentist must be an effective communicator. A patient’s relationship with his/her dentist and dental team is just like any other relationship. It benefits from openness and honesty. Patients should be encouraged to ask questions and they should be kept informed during the dental procedure.

An effective way to do this is the tell-show-do technique. The “tell” part of the technique involves verbal explanations of the overall procedure as well as steps along the way. The “show” includes demonstrations for the patient of the visual, auditory and olfactory senses. The “do” part of the technique is the completion of the dental procedure – without deviating from the plan laid out in “tell” and “show”. Verbally checking on the patient before, during, and after the dental procedure is a great way to establish a sensitive and empathetic approach.

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