I’m scared of the dentist. How can I make it easier?

Dental anxiety is incredibly common, and often comes from one bad experience years ago. It’s also the reason many people put off care until a small problem becomes a painful one.

Things that genuinely help

• Say it out loud. Mention it in the “anything we should know” box when you book, and again in the chair.
• Start small. A check-up and a chat, with no treatment on day one.
• Agree a stop signal. Raise your hand and we stop, every time.
• Ask for a running commentary. Knowing what’s coming takes away much of the fear.
• Pick an unhurried time. With evening and Sunday appointments, you don’t have to squeeze it in before work.
• Bring headphones if music helps you switch off.

How we look after nervous patients

“Painless treatment” is the most-mentioned topic in our Google reviews (88 mentions), and “clear explanations” comes up 35 times. Here’s what we do:

• Explain what we see, with X-rays and models, before suggesting anything
• Numb properly, and check before starting
• Go at your pace, and stop whenever you need
• Treat children gently and positively, so they don’t grow up afraid

Request a visit and add “nervous patient” in the note. We’ll take it from there.

More questions