Patient Care

10 tips for overcoming dental anxiety

Dr. Jennifer MackeyJanuary 8, 20257 min read

Dental anxiety is one of the most common reasons patients delay care. These ten strategies, used together, help most patients get through a visit without the dread.

The strategies

  1. Schedule your appointment for the time of day when you typically feel calmest.
  2. Tell the office, on the phone, that you have dental anxiety. They will adjust pacing.
  3. Eat a light meal beforehand. Low blood sugar amplifies anxiety.
  4. Bring headphones and a playlist or audiobook you know well.
  5. Agree on a hand-raise signal that means "pause" before any work begins.
  6. Practice four-second-in, six-second-out breathing in the waiting room.
  7. Ask for a topical anesthetic gel before any injection.
  8. Request a chair with a slight upright tilt if fully reclined positions feel worse.
  9. Bring a trusted person if your practice allows it.
  10. Book the next appointment before you leave. Anticipation is harder than the visit.
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