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Don’t Let Fear of The Dentist Stop You

fear of the dentist
Published By Dr. Rachel Hall at 28 October, 2012

Fear Of The Dentist

What kind of fear stops you? For a lot of people it’s fear of the dentist.

It’s coming up to Halloween, a time of year when we dress up in scary costumes and try to frighten the living daylights out of each other.

Some people scare easier than others it is just a matter of finding out what it is that they are frightened of. Some people will be scared or have a phobia of things like spiders, bats, snakes, heights, flying, dentists ……

Hang in a minute what was that? Dentists? How did that happen?

Don’t Be Afraid of The Dentist

No, seriously people are scared of the thought of visiting their dentist and some have massive phobias, anxiety and panic attacks over it.

If you are afraid to go to the dentist, rest assured you’re not alone. Many people experience some degree of anxiety or fear with dental visits. The good news for you and others like you is that it is a common issue so we’ve dealt with this before and are prepared to support you and help you work through it.

At Evolve Dental Healing (Kenmore), we take our patients’ care and comfort extremely seriously. It is of the utmost importance that you are allowed to feel calm, relaxed, at ease and understood.

Dental fear can be very debilitating and to not give it the due respect it deserves would be disrespectful and inconsiderate, it would also not be conducive to a stress-free dental experience.

How To Overcome Fear of The Dentist

There are a few things about our practice that might help you feel less apprehensive about visiting the dentist.

1. We understand.  We are sensitive and compassionate to your needs and the needs of your family members because we deal with our own concerns, just like you do. Our staff members are kind and professional; they will never dismiss your fears or belittle you about them in any way.

2. Zen surroundings. We have worked hard to create an environment that is relaxed and inviting. Our reception area and practice are warm and comfortable, rather than cold and clinical. We have large floor to ceiling windows overlooking private gardens and have a calm muted colour scheme and artworks. No images of teeth, smiling faces or dental procedures to put you off while you wait. No loud music or TV blaring in the background, just simple peace and quiet. We also use aromatherapy and incense to create a pleasant smelling environment, no clinical or dental smells here to put you off. In the treatment rooms, we play relaxing, quiet music during your appointment. And if you’d like a blanket, eye pillow or a hand to hold we will provide one.

3. Get to know us. We invite you to come in and familiarise yourself with space before your first appointment. Just give us a call to let us know ahead of time and we’d be happy to meet you and show you around. This can go a long way toward making you feel familiar with your surroundings, and therefore more comfortable, during your first visit.

4. Being gentle. We believe strongly that gentle hands and remembering that we are treating and caring for a whole person and not just a tooth makes your dental visit as pleasant as possible. We treat you as we would like to be treated with gentleness, understanding and compassion. We explain what we are going to do, what to expect and how it is likely to feel. We give you extra time if you are nervous and allow for breaks or pit stops in treatment so you can sit up and catch your breath if need be. You can signal us to stop during treatment at any time and we will halt proceedings and determine how to make you at ease by addressing any concerns.

5. Minimising discomfort. We aim to make your visit as pain-free as possible. However, this is dentistry and much of what we do carries a degree of discomfort but with gentle hands and a gentle approach, this can be reduced to a minimum.

Most people do not like injections so I employ a technique to make them as easy on you as possible, by placing a premed topical numbing gel prior to any injections and ensuring I give it very slowly they become almost painless. This new way of administering anaesthesia is a major relief for patients who have always dreaded that aspect of a dental appointment.

If you are worried about your sensitive teeth we can apply a calcium desensitiser prior to certain treatments which greatly reduces sensitivity and really helps to calm the nerves ( yours and the ones in your teeth).

6. Have a chat. Talk to us about how you’re feeling. We don’t know exactly how you’re feeling unless you tell us, so we respectfully request that you do exactly that. If you keep us in the loop about your feelings, we will do our best to put you at ease and make you more comfortable.

As part of our holistic care we know we are dealing with you as a human being as well as your mouth and nothing gives us greater satisfaction than helping people overcome their fear of visiting the dentist.

So please don’t let your fear of going to the dentist keep you away. Let us work with you and help you through it to maximise your oral health.


  • Dr. Rachel Hall

    Dr. Rachel Hall

    Rachel is the founder and principal dentist at Evolve Dental Healing with over 30 years experience, practising holistically since 2001. Not your typical dentist, Rachel is a passionate opinion leader, challenging convention to empower people to make better dental and health choices, helping thousands to have healthy natural smiles. A respected writer and presenter on holistic dentistry, health and wellness it is Rachel’s mission to revolutionise the way people look at their dental health.

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