How Common is Dental Anxiety and Why Do People Have It?

If you have not been to the dentist because you suffer from moderate to severe dental phobia, we are here to help!

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According to the NCBI, 36% of people suffer from dental anxiety or dental fear. Another 12% suffer from extreme dental fear. This means that it is a fairly common problem that many Americans experience. But the question remains, why are people afraid of the dentist?

Nearly half of all people with dental problems avoid dental care due to their fears and anxiety. If you experience dental anxiety, even extreme dental fear, The Dental Anesthesia Center is here to help. Modern, safe anesthesia techniques allow the fearful patient to have dental procedures accomplished without the anxiety associated with dentistry.

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Kathryn L.

It was thorough professional and informative. I was satisfied with consultation and look forward to having my dental needs addressed

liz B.

Everything went great today for her surgery but I do have some feedback about other things. My daughter was scheduled to be put to sleep to undergo a root canal. They ended up needing more anthesia which I was willing to pay for. Surgery was supposed to be an hour (I was told this before they started), and it ended up being 2 hours because of some minor complications. Noone came to the lobby to inform us. When it was over, I asked to see her. They said I had to pay first. I just paid almost 5k and they were more worried about an additional $300 before allowing me to see my daughter? This didn't sit right. I didn't say anything. I paid the bill and went to see my daughter. Dr. Hoffman is the nicest man I have ever met! He was outstanding. Also, in the weeks before her surgery, the office appeared to not communicate. I would receive a call saying one thing then someone else would say another. They were never on the same page. Last week, they needed to speak with me to confirm a few things. They called me at 8:16am then again at 1:06pm. Leaving me a voicemail that if they do not hear from me they were going to cancel her surgery. Wow! I work. I work 8am-5pm. I do not have access to my phone during those hours. They did leave a voicemail and I would have called the next day but they did not give me a chance before sending me an email threatening to cancel. Also, they had called me several weeks before to inform me I had no insurance. I called my insurance company and they said I did. Not sure what happened but it resulted in unnecessary phone calls during my only free 20 minutes at work. If your appointment is at 10am, do not plan on seeing anyone for awhile. All our appointments ran an hour behind. I think Dr. Hoffman is wonderful but the office staff needs some help. Not friendly at all. Noone even smiled! The nurses in the room with my daughter were great too.

Rob G.

I went to nervous and 3 to 4 hours later, I essentially woke up in the car on my way home without realizing anything had happened. If you have trauma with previous dental issues, this is the place. I have a had severe dental trauma my entire life. Until now, they are all fantastic.

Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your experience. We’re grateful our team could help provide a comfortable experience and appreciate your trust in us.

Cheryl L.

Our experience was wonderful. Our Down’s Syndrome son is very apprehensive about his appointments, but Dr. Thoms and all of his staff made our son more compliant. Each member seems vested in their job and are so kind and caring. Thank you for a positive experience.

Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad your family had a positive experience. Our team takes great pride in providing compassionate, individualized care, and your feedback means so much to us!

Mark B.

Everyone is always very welcoming and professional.

Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad our team makes you feel welcome. We truly appreciate your support!

Forms of Dental Anxiety

We hear the terms dental fear, dental anxiety, and dental phobia. Are they just different ways of saying the same thing?

Dental fear, or also phobia, and dental anxiety are different psychological stages for patients. A person who experiences dental anxiety has apprehension or feels a sense of danger or uneasiness in dental situations. On the other hand, dental fear or a phobia is regarded as a physiological, emotional, and behavioral response to a feared stimulus.

A person with a dental phobia has a more serious condition than anxiety. They may feel terrified and panic-stricken. They may be aware that their fear is irrational, but they cannot really do anything about it. This fear, unfortunately, keeps them from going to the dentist unless in severe pain or an emergency.

Causes of Dental Phobia or Anxiety

There can be many reasons why some people experience fear or anxiety about going to the dentist. Some of the common reasons include:

• Fear of pain – This is a common issue for a lot of people. This fear generally stems from an early dental experience that was painful or unpleasant. For some, they have heard so-called horror stories from others.
• Fear of injections – Many people are terrified of needles, especially when needing an injection in the mouth.
• Fear the injection won’t work – Included in fear of needles is a fear that the anesthesia won’t work. Perhaps they feel it hasn’t taken effect yet or that it wasn’t a large enough dose to eliminate the pain completely.
• Fear of the side effects from the anesthetics – Anesthetics can make a person feel nausea, dizziness, or faint. It also makes the area that is numb feel very strange. Many fear these odd feelings.
• Fear of not being in control – Many people have feelings of helplessness and loss of control. After all, they are sitting in a dental chair with their mouth open wide, unable to see everything that’s going on.
• Embarrassment – Many people feel self-conscious about the appearance of their teeth or mouth.
• Loss of personal space – Many people do not like being close to others. They may feel uncomfortable about the physical closeness of the hygienist or dentist in their face.

A Comfortable Solution

Modern dentistry has made significant advancements in recent years. Many of today’s dental procedures are considerably less painful or even pain-free. If you have not been to the dentist because you suffer from moderate to severe dental phobia, Dr. Michael J. Hoffmann, Dr. Sean M. Thoms, and Dr. Behl are here to help you. At The Dental Anesthesia Center, we value our patient relationships, making it our priority to deliver the gentle dental care you deserve.