30 Aug Overcoming Fear of the Dentist

What to know if you feel nervous in the chair

It’s normal to be nervous about going to the dentist. According to a survey from the American Dental Association, 22% of Americans who don’t go to the dentist regularly are staying away out of fear. If nerves are keeping you from getting the care you need, one of the best things you can do is finding a dentist who you feel comfortable talking to. Your dentist may have solutions you haven’t thought of that can help you feel more comfortable. Dental technology is always changing and making the patient experience better, so find an office where you feel comfortable asking! In this August 2021 interview, Dr. Kyle Michelsen shares his thoughts on helping patients overcome their fears.

Interviewer: 

I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately about why people may avoid going to the dentist. And one of the biggest reasons I found is just that people are scared to go. Is that something you see a lot with patients coming in? Do you get a lot of patients who are nervous? 

Dr. Kyle:

All the time. 

Interviewer: 

And how do you deal with that, when you have a patient who’s nervous?

Dr. Kyle:

I think the most important thing is just identifying the source of where that nervousness is coming from. And then just providing — maybe educating — or just kind of tackling whatever that fear is. 

So for instance, today I had somebody whose biggest fear was needles. And then I’m like “hey, well, that’s no big deal because we can provide a pain-free injection.” And at first they were a little bit leery, but then afterwards, they were like “I didn’t feel anything!” So, it’s just kind of tackling whatever that fear is, or whatever that nervousness is, and then putting it behind them. 

Interviewer: 

Awesome! Is that something you feel like you’ve gotten better at the longer you’ve been in dentistry?

Dr. Kyle:

Yeah! You know, as you address it, you become more open with talking about some things that people struggle with. 

Interviewer: 

What are some other common fears that patients have aside from needles?

Dr. Kyle:

The fear of the unknown. So — they don’t know what to expect when they come into the dentist. They have a fear that all their teeth are gonna need to be taken out, or they’re gonna have a fear of — you know, just not know what to expect. Or, you know, like, “I haven’t gotten my teeth cleaned in the last couple of years — I don’t know what type of shape they are in.” And instead of getting it addressed, will just put it off until next year, six more months, which, time-wise, is never great. And so, “maybe I can put that off till a little bit later.” 

But once they get in, they find out — if there is a problem, it’s not as big as they thought it was. Or if it is, they get it addressed quickly and put it behind them. And so once they get in, they’re like “oh, glad we’ve got that behind us, because I thought I was going to have to get all my teeth taken out, but — they’re nice and healthy.”

Interviewer: 

I bet that’s a good feeling when a patient’s relieved to hear that they don’t need as much work as they thought they did.

Dr. Kyle:

Yes, it is a big sigh of relief. For both of us. You know, I prefer them to have a nice and healthy mouth, and I’m excited when they do.

Interviewer: 

So what would you say if you had the opportunity to talk to someone who’s been putting off going to the dentist because they’re afraid? What would you say to that person? What do you think is the most important thing for them to know?

Dr. Kyle:

I would say that the hardest part is taking the first step of just making the appointment. And once you start taking that first step, everything gets a lot easier. And so by just kind of showing up the first day, you’re taking great strides to improve your oral health.