Anxiety in the dental practice is still a big issue for many, you may think you’re alone if you are an anxious client but truth is, many clients have a level of dental anxiety and many avoid going to the dentist due to their fear. However, avoiding a visit to the dentist can lead to potential problems being unchecked and they can have an impact beyond your oral health. Gum problems, for example, have been linked with diabetes and other medical conditions. The knowledge that oral health issues can have a wider impact on your health is probably not enough to reduce your anxiety but hopefully the ways in which we try to help our anxious clients can.
We want our clients to feel calm and at ease when they visit us. Our client journey through the practice is as important to us as it is to you. We are happy to make changes to put your anxieties at ease.
At Christchurch, we offer complimentary video appointments prior to your visit, so that you can meet a member of the team and get a feel for the practice, pre Covid-19 we were offering the opportunity to visit the practice for a chat over a coffee but we have had to adapt this (hopefully for the short term). After a meeting and us answering your questions and talking through your anxieties you will already begin to feel calmer about your visit to us. You don’t need to hide your anxiety. Make the practice aware that you are nervous and talk through any specific concerns. Perhaps you have had negative dental experiences in the past. The more we know the better placed we are to make sure your visit is comfortable.
We play calming music in the practice, but we can offer you various types of music to make you feel at ease. Small accommodations can make appointments far less of a challenge, our clinicians are accommodating and are also able to suggest remedies that can help put you at ease
We can be flexible with appointment times, an appointment at the start of the day may reduce anxiety as it won’t be dominating your day. Alternatively, you may want an appointment at the end of your working day so that you don’t feel rushed getting back to work. Make the appointment time work for you. It may also be worth booking an appointment as soon as possible to get it out of the way, rather than having a date in the future.
If you suffer from dental anxiety, then just booking in for an appointment and turning up is an achievement. If you have not been to see a dentist for many years, you will not be met with the feeling that you are being judged. If we are aware that you are having a first appointment in some time our team will try to make the experience a positive one. We want to look after you and ease your fears so that you can get back on track with your dental care. We all know about the pressures of day to day life, be it a busy work schedule, relocating and a new dental practice being at the bottom of your to do list or a fear of visiting the dentist. We have seen and heard it all, nothing you say will be new to us.
Any client with with anxiety and who might not have seen a dentist in years might believe their first visit will result in them requiring major treatment there and then. This will not be the case. The first appointment will be for an oral health assessment, a chance to check your teeth, gums and jaw and to form records, it is only after this visit during a zoom call with the dentist and treatment coordinator that we will then discuss the best treatment options for you so that you can make an informed decision about how you wish to proceed. We will move at your pace and be led by you. You can see this first appointment as a chance to get to know your dentist, putting you at ease to make future visits feel far more manageable.
The hardest appointment for anyone who has not been to the dentist in a while is the first one. After that, settle into a pattern, maintain regular check-ups and then you will always know that your oral health is being looked after and appointments will become routine rather than panic inducing.
When choosing your dentist, look at reviews, ask friends and colleagues, be open when asking their advice, admit you are nervous and see what they say regarding the manner of their dentist.
Christchurch isn’t a scary place, it is a modern, calm facility with passionate, skilled and friendly professionals who want your journey here to be the very best it can be.
