Nervous Patient’s – The First Step

13th February 2020

Nervous Patient’s – The First Step

Nervous Patient’s – Making the First Move

Over 50% of the population don’t have a dentist, the majority of these people will be dental phobic patients who only attend the dentist when in severe pain. If you are a nervous patient the most difficult thing is the first step, not in fact the dental treatment, by the time you reach the stage of having dental treatment you will have already come so far through your journey. In order to make this first appointment with Moira Cosmetic Dental you need to consider the following:

We treat nervous patients often; it is our favourite thing to do! Helping a patient back to full dental health from a place where it was difficult to get them through the door, is the most satisfying aspect of our job! Because we see so many nervous patients not only do we have experience but we have an environment that is suitable and a clinical team who are trained in dealing with the most nervous patient. Most nervous patients have poor dental health owing to neglect, we see lots of patients with poor dental health and we successfully treat them. There are always options.

· Think over these rational thoughts along with the consequences of putting off a visit to the dentist further. Don’t overcomplicate the process! Break it down into stages:

1. Make the appointment and arrive in the full knowledge that there is no treatment being carried out at the first appointment. This is simply the first step. Bring someone with you, but choose a friend or family member who can be firm if they need to be and someone who themselves is not afraid of the dentist. At this appointment we will try to get to the bottom of your fears! We won’t try to “cure” you. You don’t need that pressure. Our aim is to get you to the point of having treatment while accommodating your fears.

2. Return to a non-clinical environment to learn about the findings from your assessment, this should hopefully help you make logical and clear decisions about your dental health. We will discuss your treatment plan. Your options for conscious sedation and payment options. This is the most important appointment as once you have a plan of action and a “what I need to-do-list” you can start mentally preparing for treatment. Nervous patients create a cycle of objections in regards to the dentist, and not knowing what treatment is needed and guessing you need lots of dental treatment only fuels your fear and avoidance. The reality is never as bad as your imagination.

3. Make sensible priorities- when possible the order which you should complete treatment is firstly address the health of your gums to build good foundations, then your teeth and then address any cosmetic concerns you have, be particularly careful is you have a painful tooth treated first. Once you are out of pain it is easy to make excuses not to return. Leaving non-painful but decayed teeth to become painful. Putting you back to the start!

If you need a large amount of treatment you will need to make the time out of your life as well as funding the treatment, who wants to spend precious time and precious money on something you hate!!? Consider this at the start of your journey and make a commitment and a plan that you can achieve. Speak to us about your work and family commitments and forward book appointments for weekends and evenings if you need to. We can also arrange interest free credit to help spread the cost.