No matter how you put it, dental anxiety is a very common and real thing. The reality that people experience high anxiety and fear is shared by the masses and plays a significant role in the dental industry. According to WebMD, between 9% and 20% of Americans stay away from dentists due to this phenomenon. If it was our guess, we would probably think closer to 30%! This unfortunate fact of the matter is that this also plays a huge role in what keeps many people away from addressing their dental needs.
As we in the dental field see and hear from numerous individuals who have dental anxiety, we truly strive to accommodate and provide special care for those with this condition. The challenge at hand is realizing and accepting this component into our daily routine and learning how to cope with it properly and successfully.
From proper bedside manner to providing the added amenities and procedures, we make every effort to ease the anxieties of patients. By making the patient more comfortable and stress-free, we can then focus more on the treatment at hand and create a better environment for both patient and clinician.
