The Truth Behind Being Afraid of the Dentists Are you afraid of the dentist? Is it keeping you from a beautiful smile? Did you know that most dentists, when told about your “fear of the dentist”, can make sure your comfortable during procedure. Most dentists can do sedation therapy if your afraid of needles and use local antiseptic while holding your hand if your not. They can even do dental crowns, veneers and implants in one appointment, without messy impressions or temporaries, all by using computer aided dentistry techniques. It’s no secret, visiting the dentists can be scary. Dental anxiety, also known as dentophobia, is the number one reason American’s don’t visit the dentist. Dentophobia, which is the fear of the dentists, is considered an ongoing issue by most dentists. Most people are able to face a life threatening disease, but there are a few of us who can’t handle the anxiety about frequenting the dentist. Once people are educated and understand how important visiting the dentists on a semi annual basis is, along with how technology can play an important role in the patients experience, I believe they could get over their fear of dentists. According to Dr. Sharon Pruitt of the American Dental Association (ADA), these are the seven myths of dentistry: previous bad experience, cost, needles, dental x-rays, metal fillings, bleeding gums/breath, and poor doctor personality (bedside manor). Most dentists believe that the fear of the dentist, is the single cause in all patient’s dental care. Studies from the ADA show that patients who suffer from dentophobia, have some form of visual or bad procedure that has happened to them or a family member. An estimated 61% of Americans have some type of fear when it comes to the dentist, according to the book “Treating Fearful Dental Patients”. Dr. Milgrom does a great job explaining the true origins of most patients fears. He also breaks down those fears so the general dentist can understand it and explain it to their patients. Most of the 61% of Americans that were polled say fear prevents them from getting the dental care they need to have healthy teeth and gums. The patients that were polled stated they have described such fears as needles and antiseptic, costs, embarrassment of their oral hygiene, some form of bad personal experience and dentists with poor personalities. Dr. Bart McFaland states in his January 2014 Dentaltown article “if you let the dentist know your specific fears, they can make arrangements to help reduce the stress that comes with you treatment”. Dr. McFarland, a general dentists from Paris, Ky, goes on to state in the same article, “if your fear of the dentist has kept you from getting the dental care you need, you'll be pleased to know that we can perform both routine and complex dental procedures while keeping you completely relaxed and comfortable”. According the ADA, dental insurance was started in 1954 and unfortunately hasn’t changed since. Delta Dental Insurance is one of the United States largest dental provider. If we were a Kentucky state employee, under Delta Dental’s policy, you would be covered for all oral exams, x-rays, fluoride applications, cleanings, crowns, bridges and dentures. The plan only covers $1,000.00 in benefits per year for $19.95 a month, which comes to $240 a year (for a single individual). You are also maxed at 50% of all major services (crowns, inlays, bridges and dentures). Your normal dentists in Louisville charges $1000.00 per crown. Which means insurance only covers $500 for this very common procedure (4 out of 10 patients need crown work). According to Dr. James Merrett, “The best way to prevent decay under a crown is proper oral hygiene. Most people are great brushers, but not great flossers. Many times people get decay under a crown due to food not being removed from around the crown, giving the bacteria a perfect breeding ground. If you have an area that is trapping food, it is best to see your dentist