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Resources

How to Help Your Patients Relieve Dental Anxiety

Dental anxiety can negatively affect not only the patient but also put you on edge or make it hard to work effectively.

How to Help Your Patients Relieve Dental Anxiety

Dental anxiety is fear or stress associated with a dental setting. It can be so overwhelming that patients delay or avoid dental treatment. According to the Journal of Dental Hygiene, between 50 and 80% of adults in the United States have some degree of dental anxiety, ranging from mild to severe. You likely have several patients in your practice who struggle with this.

Dental anxiety can negatively affect not only the patient but also put you on edge or make it hard for you to work effectively. It’s important to maintain composure and set the tone not just at the beginning of the appointment but also before patients even arrive. After a review of several sources (listed at the end of this article), we’ve compiled five suggestions to help you put patients at ease.

Build Trust and a Connection

Strike up a conversation with patients by asking them about their day or their family. We covered ways to build trust in our last newsletter, so be sure to check that edition for more information about this important step in getting patients to think more positively about the dental experience. Another great tip is to practice breathing exercises with your patient before they begin their appointment. Breathing is the number one and most effective technique for reducing anxiety quickly.

Create Distraction

In the exam room, play a lighthearted movie or TV show at low volume, keep a fish tank, or give them a stress ball or fidget item to use while they are in your chair. 

Invest in a Calming Environment

Set up an aromatherapy mister, play soft classical music, and outfit your practice with comfortable, thoughtful furnishings. Instruct your office staff to maintain good customer service and to keep them motivated in their role to provide not just quality care but also a quality experience.

Watch the Wait Time

If you know you’ve got a particularly anxious patient on the schedule for the day, take extra care that they are seen on time. Notify your office staff. Anxious patients should not be made to wait too long, as this can build tension and give them time to recall the threatening stimuli.

Put the Control in the Hands of the Patient

Loss of control over the treatment procedure is a major cause for anxiety. Telling the patient what to expect and what measures are taken to ensure their safety will help make the treatment as comfortable as possible. Explain every step of the appointment with the patient using the tell-show-do method.

 

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4790493/

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-calm-down#1.-Breathe

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/dental-anxiety-and-phobia

https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/may/dental-anxiety-tooth-wear-among-may-jada-clinical-scans

https://jdh.adha.org/content/91/1/30

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