Psychology of the dental chair: Rewriting the dental experience

directly above Dental examination inspection on chinese teenage girl covering mouth

We’re entering a bold new era of healthcare—one shaped by personalized medicine, preventative care, and a more integrative understanding of the body and mind. And at the heart of this evolution is something long overlooked: oral health. Once seen as separate from the rest of the body, it’s now recognized as a cornerstone of lifelong … Read more

What To Do When You Hear “I Hate the Dentist”

The boy is afraid of the dentist. A frightened patient is a child experiencing a panic attack in the office of a dental clinic. alternate text for this image

We’ve all been there (or if you haven’t, you most likely will at some point in your career): a patient sits in your chair and one of the first things out of their mouth is “I hate coming to the dentist.” Dental anxiety is very common. A high percentage of the population experiences some level … Read more

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Reduce Dental Anxiety in Children

A pioneering study led by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals will investigate whether Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) could help reduce the worryingly high number of children who are afraid of the dentist. Around one in three children are scared of going to the dentist, leading to dental avoidance, and end up with … Read more

Scents, Sounds, and Sights: Managing Dental Fear in 2020

dental fear

An Updated Look at Options for Setting Our Patients at Ease Two of the main culprits that prevent our patients from seeking care are fear and anxiety. Dentophobia (or odontophobia) is defined as “the extreme fear of going to the dentist”.1 True phobias, stronger versions of the common fear, require different and sometimes more intensive … Read more

3 Ways Technology Can Help Alleviate Anxiety in Dental Patients

dental technology

Fear of visiting the dental office is a problem faced by people all over the world. In a recent worldwide survey of 18,000 people, close to 61% of respondents said that they suffer from dental anxiety and fear. More often than not, this anxiety manifests as dental avoidance at a later time, which can lead … Read more

Helping Anxious Patients Feel Comfortable, Safe, and Smile-Ready

anxious patients

Dental anxiety is real. And it can have serious health impacts if allowed to interfere with dental care. Studies estimate that as many as 60% of dental patients have anywhere from mild to severe dental fear, and as many as 20% of Americans actually avoid going to the dentist because of their anxiety. Though the … Read more

“To Fear or Not to Fear,” that is the question.

dental fear

What is fear exactly? FEAR, DREAD, FRIGHT, ALARM, PANIC, TERROR, TREPIDATION mean painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger. FEAR is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage. fear of the unknown DREAD usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.  faced the meeting with dread FRIGHT implies the shock of … Read more

Acupuncture May Help Patients with Dental Anxiety

Researchers have found evidence that acupuncture could help people who experience dental anxiety. Dental anxiety affects up to an estimated 30% of the adult population in countries world-wide. Patients can experience nausea, difficulty breathing and dizziness at the thought of going to the dentist, during an examination, and following treatment. Reasons behind dental anxiety can … Read more

Statistics Show Dental Anxiety and Bad Teeth Seriously Impacts Careers

Landing a career can be tough enough today. But a high percentage of job-searching millennials are doing their best to keep their mouths closed while being interviewed—a bad thing to do while trying to form a highly positive impression on a prospective employer.1 A recent study by the research arm of the American Dental Association revealed … Read more

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy New Way to Reduce Children’s Dental Anxiety

The International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) have published an article titled “Development and Testing of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Resource for Children’s Dental Anxiety” in the OnlineFirst portion of JDR Clinical & Translational Research. In this study, Jenny Porritt, Department of Psychology, Sociology, and Politics, Sheffield Hallam University, UK, et al describe … Read more

I have to admit something – I prefer cats to dogs

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For my first editorial with the Oral Health Group, my blatant opinion to start this piece off might not be the smartest idea. But I feel that I owe it to our dedicated readers, and to my two feline children at home, Eleanor and Lou, to be honest and open. With that being said, I … Read more