Sydenham Family Dental | Biological & Comprehensive Dentistry
There is no profession that generates more fear that strikes at our core than dentistry. There are good reasons for that. The head, face and in particular, oral structures have the highest density of sensory receptors than anywhere else on the body. After all, we use the senses in this area to explore our environment. Children routinely put stuff in their mouths to learn more about their world.
Due to this apprehension, we have set up our office according to the platinum rule, not the golden rule which states “treat others as you wish to be treated” but rather, “treat others as THEY wish to be treated.” To this end, we schedule lots of time to get to know our patients and for them to get to know us. Dr. Bill Dickerson states:
So, we strive to gain our patient’s confidence and trust early on. Once we have a trusting professional relationship, usually other forms of anxiety management are not required and treatment outcomes are also usually better.
However, for those that really do feel that they need extra help, we offer NetFlix on ceiling mounted monitors and sound reduction headphones.
Nitrous Oxide is available for the severely phobic and sometimes we refer to a dedicated sedation clinic for those that need heavy-duty sedation or general anesthesia. After all, there are times treatment is necessary and the important thing is to get it done.