Many people have dentophobia1 — that is, fear of the dentist. It’s an understandable fear; dental procedures can be intimidating, and a bad experience can leave someone with lingering fears.
Unfortunately, dental anxiety can cause problems for both the patient and the dentist. In the office, it can make them more irritable, have more severe pain reactions, and even stress out the dental team. You need to know how to deal with anxious dental patients if you want to make sure they get the care they deserve.
At Dental Intelligence, we understand how difficult it can be to figure out how to help anxious patients. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of tips. In addition, we offer resources like Virtual Check-In to help make things easier for anxious patients.
1. Explain What You’re Going to Do
A lot of dental anxiety can come from not knowing what’s going to happen. If you’re wondering how to deal with anxious dental patients, then one way to help is to explain what’s going to happen.
Break things down for your patients by:
- Talking about what will happen during the procedure
- Explaining why you’re doing each step
- Showing your patient your tools and explaining what they do
Fear of the unknown can make anxiety skyrocket. Having a little bit of extra knowledge can sometimes be enough to soothe nerves.
2. Be Empathetic
Patients respond well to dental professionals who care about them. Take the time to listen to your patient’s concerns and respond with empathy. Discuss their fears and take them seriously. Knowing that you’re willing to put their comfort first can help make patients more confident in your care.
3. Let the Patient Have Control
Sometimes, anxiety comes from a loss of control. The patient isn’t able to brace themselves for the start of the procedure — or ask for you to stop if it gets to be too much.
Giving control back to the patient can be an excellent way to help them relax. Let them know that they can ask to pause the procedure at any point and let them decide when it actually starts. This way, they can feel more confident about moving forward.
4. Offer a Distraction
Keeping your patient distracted from what’s going on can go a long way to soothing anxiety. If they have something to focus on besides the dental procedure, then it can help make them less nervous.
Sometimes, a distraction can be as simple as talking to the patient. Your patient can’t respond during the procedure, however, so it’s good to have other methods to distract them too.
Installing a television and turning it to the channel of the patient’s choice can be a great option. Particularly anxious patients may benefit from headphones that could play music or podcasts.
5. Make Sure the Room Is Comfortable
Relaxing isn’t easy if the room is too cold or you’re lying on a stiff, painful chair. Discomfort can enhance anxiety — and, conversely, making the room more comfortable can help lessen it.
You can’t always get brand-new equipment, of course, but there are things you can do to make the room more comfortable overall.
Consider doing the following:
- Check to make sure the room’s at a comfortable temperature before you start.
- Offer the patient a blanket if they’d like one.
- Mask typical dental office smells with a pleasant air purifier.
6. Consider Sedation
Sometimes, you can do everything in your power, and the patient simply can’t relax. In cases like these, you might want to consider using nitrous oxide to sedate them.
Just a little bit of sedation will likely work well for people with mild to moderate anxiety. Patients with severe anxiety, however, may need to be fully sedated to get through the procedure. If your patient is anxious about the procedure, then discuss this option with them and see what they’d like to do.
Manage Dental Anxiety with the Right Tools
Dealing with difficult patients isn’t easy. Anxious patients can make life stressful — both for themselves and for your team. Figuring out how to deal with anxious dental patients is key to making sure that everyone involved has a positive experience.
At Dental Intelligence, we can provide you with a variety of resources to help you help your patients. Schedule a demo to learn more about what we can do.
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