6. They want the patient’s experience to be as stress-free and comfortable as possible
Treating clients with high anxiety about dentists is a common occurrence. What causes such anxiety about dental treatment? One of the primary fears is the loss of control. Patients have to lean back in a vulnerable position and submit themselves to procedures they would rather not be having. They might have been traumatized by the previous experience, and the anxiety can be crippling. Another big fear is a fear of pain. Fear of embarrassment about their dental health practices is another common issue that can cause defensiveness. They don’t want to be lectured about how they have neglected their dental hygiene.
Dental hygienists do whatever they can to make the experience comfortable. This may include providing numbing relief or pillows. One of the most important ways of making a patient feel comfortable is communication. Dental hygienists describe what they’re doing, ask what the patient is thinking and feeling as well as what should be done at home. They reassure patients that they will do everything possible to make the experience pain free and that they have the right tools at hand to do this.
If a patient is particularly anxious, they must take the time to guide them through the procedure until the job is done. They need to reassure and encourage them. This helps patients to gain trust in the dental hygienist and face future treatment with less anxiety and fear.
Fear is often fueled by facing the unknown and by the picture painted of dental treatment in the media. For dental-phobic patients, it is often the perception that they are going to experience pain that causes the fear. The truth is the process is not as painful as it once was and their fears can be dispelled. Dental hygienists find ways to make a visit less intimidating and to reassure patients that the experience will be relatively pain-free.