Dental Fear, Phobia or Dental Anxiety?

Going to the dentist triggers feelings of anxiety and fear. It is estimated that around 15 percent of Americans, over 45 million people; suffer from dental anxiety or dental phobia.     
The causes of dental anxiety and phobia can range from a fear of pain, fear of needles or doctors to past experiences of stress and discomfort.  An individual's predisposition to anxiety can also play a key role.

Dental Fear, Phobia or Dental Anxiety?
Though the phrases dental anxiety, dental fear and dental phobia are often used interchangeably to describe a range of symptoms and reactions to dental practices in general, important distinctions can be drawn between them, which can be useful in finding effective dental treatment options.
Anxiety refers to the sense of unease associated with the unknown. If you suffer from dental anxiety, you may find that working with a dentist who is sensitive to your needs and communicates with you to create a comfortable atmosphere can greatly improve your experience and help you to overcome your anxiety.
A phobia is an intense and possibly irrational reaction to a specific situation or object that is perceived as threatening. If you suffer from dental phobia you may react to the sound of a drill, the expectation of pain or another aspect of dentistry for which you have a strong dislike or fear.
Overcoming dental phobias, especially if they are particularly intense, can be more complicated than dealing with anxieties and may require professional assistance. Dental fear is the term often used for a more mild form of dental phobia.
“Our office has had great success with addressing dental fear by simply spending one on one time with our patients.  This builds trust and confidence quickly overcoming fear and apprehension” says Dr. Cherukuri from her Chino, California dental practice.

Changes in Dentistry

"My dentist just retired" exclaimed a patient after the dentist she has been seeing for over two decades retired.  A mix of disappointment and anxiety was quite evident in her comment..
With each retiring dentist or physician,   traditional healthcare, as we know it; is disappearing.  Hence the anxiety of these patients with long term relationships with their healthcare providers is quite understandable.

 With the infiltration of health maintenance organizations, personalized care has significantly eroded. Very few practices are able to balance current standards of regulation, digitalization, drastic insurance reimbursement reductions  and yet maintain one on one care. Unable to cope with the steep rise in multi faceted  challenges, many quality oriented health care providers have retired and or moved onto associate roles in corporate settings.

At conventions and other dental professional gatherings, I have been labeled a "walking dinosaur" for managing a solo private practice with traditional care.. With added vigilance and regular updating of technology and professional skills, it is still rewarding to extend personalized care to each of our patients. At the end of the day, there is more gratification with our professional work and patients certainly appreciate and value  the continuity of care.

"After all health care is a service where the building of trust, rapport and an ongoing relationship is just as important as rendering appropriate care" adds Dr. Cherukuri from her Chino, California practice.  "When the focus is on exceptional patient care, business aspects simply align themselves and fall into place.

 Visit www.chinosmiles.com for the online reviews.