A fear of the dentist is very real. Everyone is to some extent anxious about a visit to the dentist. On a grander scale, a dental phobic finds these visits nearly impossible to cope with and comes up with lots of creative reason to avoid a dentist. With some gentle coxing, most fearful patients can overcome their anxiety during the visit. However, once a person goes to the extent of avoiding dental visits and treatments, then this person requires some extra guidance.

Some dental phobics would rather watch their teeth rot and fall out than step inside an office. Unfortunately, many of these behaviors are associated with dental experiences that were very traumatic in childhood. While many phobics know that this behavior is for the most part irrational, the panic symptoms displayed are often worse than the actual thoughts. Some common panic symptoms include fainting, uncontrollable shaking, heart palpations and nauseous feelings

Most dental phobics feel this way because they worry about loosing control of the situation. Dentists are very familiar with these symptoms and are trained in ways to assist a patient in overcoming these sensations. Below are ways that experienced dentists help a patient manage the situation:

1. Let the dentist know on the phone before your visit that you have a fear of dentists. A sympathetic dentist will then work at your pace, whereby the first visit is for chatting not for surgical treatment.

2. A good dentist's practices a "painless practice" using discomfort-reducing techniques such as topicals like anesthetic gels and air abrasion units.

3. If treatment requires several phases, these phases can be spread out and scheduled based on how long you feel comfortable sitting in the chair.

4. Knowing that fear is a healthy survival mechanism is often the key to putting a phobic's fear into perspective.

5. In many ways, the knowledge about what is actually going to take place rather than presumptions about potential pain is very much a sigh of relief. Ir's no surprise that if all someone hears is "If you don't behave, I'll take you to the dentist!" then that person soon builds preconceived notions that the dentist's must be a bad place.

6. Knowledge is a key to understanding your dental work and to stuff out unfounded fears. Many patients may have heard statements in the past that that were incorrect like "If you don't behave, I'll take you to the dentist!"

7. Just as you should feel comfortable to ask as many questions as necessary, a dentist too should ask you questions. Questions like "How are you doing?" or "Are you feeling this?" allow the dentist to know how fast to proceed or if you need a few minutes. No compassionate dentist will proceed if you're feeling pain.

8. Follow up like a dental office's phone call or painkillers like ibuprofen or long-lasting anesthesia let the patient know that the dentist cares.