Attention Dentists! 5 Top Tips for Calming Anxious Patients

Dental anxiety is an extremely common condition and according to new research by the Oral Health Foundation and Oral-B, 67% of Brits admit to being apprehensive when it comes to visiting the dentist.

This fear is leaving patients at a greater risk of gum disease and early tooth loss, as well as emotional distress from low-self-esteem and insecurities due to damaged and discoloured teeth.

We all know how important it is for patients to attend regular check-ups; so how can you, as a dental care provider, provide a calming experience for those who suffer with this phobia. 

Here are 5 top tips to help bring serenity to your surgery:

Often for people suffering with a phobia, the build up to the experience is worse than the experience itself and those with dental anxiety will have a sense of uneasiness as it approaches the time for their appointment. One of the worst things for a fearful patient is to sit in the waiting room for an extended period so a simple way of managing this is to make sure, where possible, those patients with anxiety have an appointment earlier in the day where they have less time to think about the upcoming experience. Try and keep your appointments running on time, we know there will always be situations that can throw your schedule off track, but fast payments or multiple check in options are all things that may help your surgery run more smoothly. 

We’ve all heard the phase ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ and it’s actually true. By encouraging your patients to discuss their worries with you it will allow them to drop their guard and stop putting on a brave face. At the start of the appointment take a moment to check in and ask how they are, especially if they look nervous. Not only will this put the patient at ease, but it will also give you insight to their concerns and the opportunity to reassure them. Acknowledge the patients fears, be empathetic and promise to be gentle.

No one likes feeling like they have lost control, especially someone who is battling anxiety, so an easy way to put your patient at ease is to show them they are in the driver’s seat. This can be done using 3 key methods. First make use you fully explain what you will be doing during the appointment and what the patient can expect. Use language they understand, be realistic about the procedure and be tactful with the words you use. Secondly, choose your words carefully. There is a difference between asking the patient if they are ready and simply saying “open wide”. Let the patient know they are the ones controlling when the work begins. And finally, agree on a signal that the patient can use if they need the work to stop. Most won‘t use it but knowing they have that option can make all the difference. 

A fearful patient who walks into a dentist’s office is one who needs distraction. No matter how punctual or empathetic you are, your patient will still have to spend time in the waiting room listening to their own internal monologue which will only increase their level of anxiety. A key way you can help minimise this is by providing them with plenty of distractions to keep them entertained whilst they wait. Current magazines, coffee table books, and attention-grabbing images on the walls are all ideal ways you can keep their attention away from worrying about the appointment. Another way dentists have found success in diverting patients attention is by installing televisions in their waiting rooms and clinics. Television works as the perfect means of escape from a tense situation and not only does it make the wait seem shorter, but it also allows them to forget their worries. A strategically placed TV on the ceiling above the dental chair can also allow this same principle to continue throughout the entire visit. 

Did you know we take most of our emotional signals from our surroundings? Unconsciously our environment is affecting us all the time and without realising it, something as simple as the colour a wall is painted can impact whether a person feels calm or anxious. There are multiple cues we associate with dental work and although some, like smell, are hard to mask; other’s, like design, can be simply changed to make all the difference. Try to keep the area feeling as non-clinical as possible by minimising sterile fluorescent lights, providing comfortable seating and keeping tooth decay posters and dental tools out of sight. Painting the wall the right colour is also a simple way to change the mood of the surgery. Opt for calm or natural colours like, cream, pale purple or earth tones over stark and cold shades of white and blue. Music is also a clever way to change the mood of your waiting area. Listening to calming music is one of the easiest and most effective ways to calm an anxious patient.

Finally, when a patient is anxious all they want to do at the end of their appointment is leave as fast as possible which can mean they forget important aftercare information you may tell them. Make sure you have this written down as a handout for them to take away and read through when their anxiety levels return to normal.