PART 2 - MANAGING FEES/COSTS
PART 3 - MANAGING RELATIONSHIP WITH DENTIST
PART 4 - ACCESSING THE DENTIST
PART 3 - MANAGING RELATIONSHIP WITH DENTIST
PART 4 - ACCESSING THE DENTIST
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There are a number of ways in which patients can be anxious of going to the dentist and often, especially in adults patients may say they are too busy to attend appointments when in reality it is the anxiety being provoked that is the real reason for not attending. Consider a few examples and think if you can relate to any of these |
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Case 1 - Andrew never had problem with the dentist but last time he went for a molar extraction he could feel everything and now will not return to the dentist except in case of emergency so as to avoid having to experience this pain again.
Case 2 - David is age 7 and will not sit still in the chair, every time the dentist goes anywhere near his mouth he clamps it shut, his mother is in the room also and is also every nervous, she continues to say that she was just the same when she was a child and that she was just as nervous.
Case 3 - A professional woman in her 40's gave the excuse of lack of time and always working as the reasons for missing her dental appointments but on further discussion with this lady it was discovered that the thought of having a local anaesthetic was the real reason for non attendance and therefore this is an anxiety matter rather than a lack of time matter.
Case 2 - David is age 7 and will not sit still in the chair, every time the dentist goes anywhere near his mouth he clamps it shut, his mother is in the room also and is also every nervous, she continues to say that she was just the same when she was a child and that she was just as nervous.
Case 3 - A professional woman in her 40's gave the excuse of lack of time and always working as the reasons for missing her dental appointments but on further discussion with this lady it was discovered that the thought of having a local anaesthetic was the real reason for non attendance and therefore this is an anxiety matter rather than a lack of time matter.
There are many cases like these and each person is an individual and so may experience and deal with anxiety in a different way. The main thing to remember is that the dentist is there to help you reach your goal and that no matter what your level or reason of anxiety is, there is always a way to overcome it to reach your dental goals as discussed below
The patient who experiences a high intensity of anxiety together with a history of avoiding dental care can be classed as a dental phobic rather than anxious
Dental Anxiety in Children
As a barrier to accessing dental care, dental anxiety in children may be a consequence of the child's stage of personality development, dental anxieties of the parents or the parent's fears and wishes to deny their child any distress or anxiety. This wish may be a mix of the parents own anxieties together with their fear at the sight of their child's distress and unhappiness. Such difficulties on the parent's behalf may result in parents delaying care. This can be a problem and lead to children getting dental abscesses and advanced dental issues unnecessarily.
As a barrier to accessing dental care, dental anxiety in children may be a consequence of the child's stage of personality development, dental anxieties of the parents or the parent's fears and wishes to deny their child any distress or anxiety. This wish may be a mix of the parents own anxieties together with their fear at the sight of their child's distress and unhappiness. Such difficulties on the parent's behalf may result in parents delaying care. This can be a problem and lead to children getting dental abscesses and advanced dental issues unnecessarily.
Sedation and other methods of anxiety management
1. Use of inhalation Sedation (laughing gas) for mildly anxious patients - children and adults
2. Intravenous sedation (IV sedation) for moderate to severely anxious patients who are medically fit and well
3. General anaesthetic- usually as a last resort for young children and those for which other types of sedation not viable
4. Giving patients more information or less information, tailored individually to exactly what they want and what they need to know
5. Behavioural management in children including offering rewards at the end of treatment, positive reinforcement, possibly having parents wait outside while treatment is completed (difficult for parents but sometimes essential)
6. Gradually getting used to treatment by doing a little bit of treatment each visit but gradually increasing on this until pt can tolerate advanced treatment, may require sedation also.
7. Discussion open and free between patient and dentist - the modern world, each dental treatment is a discussion between the dentist and patient; so as they can work with the dentist to give them the result they desire, there are so many new techniques and products on the market that there is more choice than ever for patients now
8. Bad experience with current dentist - Either talk to dentist directly if feel comfortable doing so and discuss your concerns, or ask to change dentists within the practice, alternatively search NHS dentists to find a new dentist if you feel the trust has been lost.
9. Hypnosis in Dentistry, this is a unique area beyond the scope of this article but read more about dental hypnosis here
2. Intravenous sedation (IV sedation) for moderate to severely anxious patients who are medically fit and well
3. General anaesthetic- usually as a last resort for young children and those for which other types of sedation not viable
4. Giving patients more information or less information, tailored individually to exactly what they want and what they need to know
5. Behavioural management in children including offering rewards at the end of treatment, positive reinforcement, possibly having parents wait outside while treatment is completed (difficult for parents but sometimes essential)
6. Gradually getting used to treatment by doing a little bit of treatment each visit but gradually increasing on this until pt can tolerate advanced treatment, may require sedation also.
7. Discussion open and free between patient and dentist - the modern world, each dental treatment is a discussion between the dentist and patient; so as they can work with the dentist to give them the result they desire, there are so many new techniques and products on the market that there is more choice than ever for patients now
8. Bad experience with current dentist - Either talk to dentist directly if feel comfortable doing so and discuss your concerns, or ask to change dentists within the practice, alternatively search NHS dentists to find a new dentist if you feel the trust has been lost.
9. Hypnosis in Dentistry, this is a unique area beyond the scope of this article but read more about dental hypnosis here
Remember as always you can always ask our dentists if you want any more information
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