Ashley Blouin
Ashley has achieved her Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Major in Psychology at Capilano University. She recently completed a directed study in psychology, where she developed stronger public speaking skills. Outside of school, Ashley enjoys coaching and participating in gymnastics. She has been coaching gymnastics for several years, which allowed her to gain valuable leadership skills. Ashley hopes to attend dental school at the University of British Columbia to eventually pursue a career as a general dentist. Ashley is very passionate about making a positive impact in dentistry. Her goal is to foster an inclusive dental community that serves everyone and supports anxious patients.
Going to the dentist has proven to be a daunting experience for anxious patients. Dental anxiety has the ability to affect people on every socio-economic level. In fact, some people choose to avoid the dentist altogether. However, avoiding the dentist can lead to oral health complications and also negatively impact mental health (Kraft, 15). This is why it is important for dentists to prioritize emotional mindfulness in addition to the expected clinical skills, in consideration of the patient. (Avramova, 43).
This image is a visual representation of the statistics I received from my survey data.
Dentistry has existed since ancient civilizations filled dental cavities with metal wires; however, these practices were brutal because local anesthesia did not exist, making the procedures extremely painful for patients (“The History of Dentistry: From Ancient Practices to Modern Innovations”). On the bright side dentistry has developed extensively since the ancient era. Dental cavities are now filled with a composite resin with a colour that replicates your tooth, and patients receive oral sedation to make the procedures painless (Ghidrai). Modern technology has allowed dentistry to become convenient and comfortable (Ghidrai).
This image comes from my personal book collection. It is called “The Smile Stealers: The Fine and Foul Art of Dentistry” Written by Richard Barnett.
Certain dental practices have conditioned people to fear the experience and avoid it. According to my survey, around 52% of people reported feeling nervous before a dentist appointment. In fact, around 24% of people reported cancelling or delaying a dentist appointment due to anxiety. Delaying an appointment out of fear can aggravate dental issues and make the eventual treatment more invasive. Some people live with dentophobia and or trypanophobia, which makes visiting the dentist their deepest dread. Dentophobia is the fear of dentists, and it causes a significant amount anxiety while at or anticipating a dentist appointment (“Dentophobia: Fear of Dentists”). Trypanophobia is the fear of receiving a needle injection in a medical setting (“Trypanophobia: Fear of Needles”). The dual exposure of dentophobia and trypanophobia can exacerbate the impact on the patient because the dentist administers the injection of local anesthesia.
I created this image using the artificial intelligence platform ChatGPT. It represents dental instruments that can elicit anxiety among patients.
Some may suggest that reducing dental anxiety is unavoidable. However, 70% of the participants in my survey data suggested that receiving more communication before treatment would reduce their dental anxiety, making it a tolerable experience. It is difficult for people without anxiety to understand the perspectives that do not affect them. This is why it is important for dentists to be compassionate and provide a comforting space that feels safe for the patient. This article combines public feedback with secondary source research to propose evidence-based suggestions to reduce dental anxiety.
Understanding Dental Anxiety
Around half of the world’s population fears the dentist. Dental anxiety has affected my family, friends, and myself, yet people are generally not born with dental anxiety. According to research, 87% of patients with dental anxiety had experienced a negative dental event in their past (Kraft, 15). Fear and phobias typically result from associating a physical reaction to an experience; this process is known as classical conditioning. Let us imagine there is a person who has never visited a dentist before, and therefore, has no fear associated with visiting the dentist. For this person, the dentist would be a neutral stimulus. A neutral stimulus elicits no reaction within us because we have nothing to associate it with (Cherry). Let us imagine this person received an injection from the dentist that caused a lot of pain. Considering the dentist had administered the injection, this person now associates the dentist with pain. This person now has a conditioned response to feel fear when they visit the dentist. A conditioned response is a learned response that develops from an experience (Cherry). This is the process of how fear and phobias develop.
I created this image using the artificial intelligence platform Chat GPT. It showcases a person experiencing dental anxiety.
The primary concern for patients is the possibility of feeling pain or discomfort. Several interviews were conducted with patients to help understand their personal development of dental phobias. The first interviewee mentioned that she experienced a dentist who improperly administered local anesthesia, causing her to fear pain throughout the procedure (L. M, personal communication, Feb. 23, 2025). She said, “This miserable experience heightened my fear of dentists” (L. M, personal communication, Feb. 23, 2025). The second interviewee described visiting the dentist as “terrifying” (N. J, personal communication, Feb. 24, 2025). She mentioned that visiting the dentist causes her to experience panic attacks, and highlighted that “the anticipation of appointments is awful” (N. J, personal communication, Feb. 24, 2025). She described her phobia developing in childhood after experiencing multiple dentists who caused her to feel pain during the procedures (N. J, personal communication, Feb. 24, 2025).
Decreasing Dental Anxiety
I interviewed Dr. Veljovic, a general dentist located in North Vancouver. He is passionate about dentistry and provides outstanding care for his patients. I asked Dr. Veljovic about how dentists are trained to handle anxious patients. He mentioned that dentists do receive training about issues related to dental anxiety (D. Veljovic, personal communication, Feb. 19, 2025). He also stated that each individual dentist would need to determine the level of compassionate treatment that they would be willing to deliver to their patient. Perhaps, only a cursory mention of patient anxiety is taught in dental school, which means that not all dentists are not adequately prepared to help anxious patients. If dentists receive thorough training concerning the management of patient anxiety, the overall experience could improve for both the patient and the dentist.
This is a photo of my actual wisdom teeth. My wisdom teeth were removed in the summer of 2023, as all four of them were impacted and causing me jaw pain.
Dr. Veljovic mentioned that the main aspect of dentistry that makes patients uncomfortable is the issue of “fear and mistrust” (D. Veljovic, personal communication, Feb. 19, 2025). He suggested that communication significantly improves trust with patients (D. Veljovic, personal communication, Feb. 19, 2025). For example, Dr. Veljovic builds trust by clearly communicating the procedure, including showing live camera photos throughout the procedure. Fully informing your patient lets them properly anticipate and develop confidence in their dentist (Avramova, 43). According to the data in my survey, 70% of people expressed that receiving more communication from their dentist would make them more comfortable.
The teeth in this picture belong to my father. These are the baby teeth from his childhood, and an extracted lower lateral incisor which was removed to facilitate his orthodontic braces.
Additionally, there are measures that the patients can engage with to reduce anxiety. These methods could even be encouraged by their dentist. Deep breathing is a physical practice that reduces anxiety and relaxes muscles (Avramova, 45). One interviewee said, “The sound of the dentist’s drill is triggering for me and gives me anxiety” (M. J, personal communication, Feb. 23, 2025). It would be helpful if dentists offered noise-cancelling headphones to patients. Providing stress balls in the waiting area of the dental office could be beneficial. Fidgeting with stress balls redirects attention and allows people to reduce the amount of stress they are currently experiencing. Meditation is another method that can help patients feel more comfortable. Anticipation anxiety occurs in dentistry when patients have to ruminate about additional procedure appointments. Studies have proven that practicing meditation can reduce anticipatory anxiety (Colgary et al., 126).
This is a picture of my childhood tooth fairy jar and a few baby teeth I managed to keep. During my childhood, every time I lost a tooth, I would place it inside my tooth fairy jar.
If the patient’s anxiety is severe, dentists could recommend that the patient seek cognitive behavioural therapy, also known as CBT. Cognitive behavioural therapy is a resource that people utilize to reduce anxiety (Avramova, 45; Schibbye et al., 13). CBT can also be conducted over the Internet, which is known as ICBT (Schibbye et al., 2). Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy is more affordable and accessible as it is conducted online (Schibbye et al., 12).
This picture shows a set of anatomically correct teeth. It represents all the teeth in your jaw, from the incisors to the premolars, the molars, and the wisdom teeth.
Finally, systematic desensitization is one of the most effective methods to reduce dental phobia (Kraft, 22). Desensitization is the process of slowly exposing yourself to the negative stimuli that triggers your phobia. This is because the more you experience a particular stimulus, the less it will subsequently impact you. You start by exposing yourself to a component of the phobia. For example, searching for a particular dental clinic and simply writing down the phone number or address. This process may trigger anticipatory anxiety, so it is important to start slowly. The next step may be calling the dental clinic and booking a consultation. These steps in the process can vary depending on the severity of anxiety that the person is experiencing. Systematic desensitization effectively reduces dental anxiety (Kraft, 22).
The Impact of Preventive Care
Neglecting oral health allows complications to worsen and potentially further harm patient health. Dental procedures can also become unnecessarily difficult to treat due to the worsened severity of the preventive issue. Preventive care is very important and is the best course of action for oral health. This is why it is fundamentally valuable to represent and prioritize preventive care. Providing oral health education to the younger generations gives them the necessary skills and knowledge to ensure future oral health (Rae, 36). Exposing children to early and frequent dental checkups in a friendly and encouraging dental practice allows them to desensitize themselves to dental procedures. This means that later in adulthood, patients may not experience the otherwise strong emotional reaction towards the dental stimuli that could cause a negative trigger.
I created this image using the artificial intelligence platform ChatGPT. It demonstrates how oral hygiene products can be offered and made available to members of the public who need them most.
Advertising the importance of oral health to the general public can encourage preventive oral health care. This will further reduce the future need for invasive dental procedures. This would also, in turn, mean that less anxiety would be spent worrying about these potentially unnecessary procedures. Dental professionals could also volunteer at schools and community centers to educate people on oral health and preventative care. This would allow children and adults to gain insight into proper oral care. Dental clinics could distribute educational flyers that offer preventative care options. Varied representation of dentistry allows the public to become desensitized to dental fear. Not everyone can adequately access oral hygiene products such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental floss. There is value in dentists, their offices, and in schools consistently providing oral hygiene products to anyone who needs them. This would encourage better preventative care for all underserved individuals.
Designing a Comforting Dental Clinic
The dentist’s office is full of smells and sounds that can be triggering for anxious patients (Kraft, 15). Indeed, humans are emotionally impacted by their environment. Superficial aspects such as paint colour have the capability of impacting our emotional state. Vivid colours increase arousal, which leads to feeling overwhelmed (Sabrina). Softer colours can promote calmness and reduce arousal (Sabrina). Dental offices painted with softer neutral colours could be the first step in creating a comforting environment. It would also be important to separate the waiting area from the clinical area. This would reduce the dental noises impacting the patients waiting to undergo a procedure.
I created this image using the artificial intelligence platform ChatGPT. The images on the top row represent a stereotypical dental clinic that prioritizes functionality and minimal effort to enhance the space. The bottom row represents a reimagined dental clinic. The space synthesizes practicality with comfort and relaxation. I want this image to serve as an example of how dental offices could look.
Placing natural elements into any space creates an aura of tranquility as nature is grounding and provides a sense of peace for humans (Grady). Decorating dental offices with forest art and wooden fixtures encourages clarity and relaxation (Sabrina; Grady). The lighting of spaces is also very relevant. Softer yellow hues can promote relaxation and destress people (Sabrina).
This is a picture I took while walking through the Capilano River Regional Park. The forest provides me with an aura of tranquility. I believe it would be beneficial for more public spaces to use natural art to enhance their space.
Research proves that specific genres of music can relax people and reduce anxiety (Victor). For example, fast-paced music increases our level of arousal (Victor). Upbeat music makes us feel more optimistic and motivated (Victor). Finally, slow-paced music reduces muscle tension and increases relaxation (Victor). Music played at 60 beats per minute allows the brain to synchronize with brainwaves linked to relaxation (Victor). This means that the music playing in the dental office can impact a person’s level of calmness. The goal is that these environmental changes can offer some level of anxiety relief. In addition, patients who do not experience dental anxiety will also be exposed to a relaxing environment. This means that these changes can serve everyone.
Conclusion
Dental anxiety is an undesirable feeling, particularly in a world already burdened by stress. That being said, positive changes are always possible. If we reimagine the dental experience with compassion and understanding, the field of dentistry can create a supportive, welcoming environment for all patients. Managing dental anxiety can be very difficult for professionals. Not all dentists can adequately handle all types of emotional feedback from these patients. It is important for dentists to make their best effort to treat all patients with respect and avoid causing them tremendous discomfort.
Dental-related complications can be life-threatening. Therefore, we cannot have people avoid dentists and threaten their health due to Anxiety. Communication will always remain a crucial aspect of dentistry. Communication helps the patient build trust in their dentist and feel comfortable. Also, sensory-based anxiety can be alleviated if clinics make changes to the environment. A clinic that promotes relaxation will serve calm patients rather than a hyper-sterile clinic. Small changes can create big impacts overall. Increasing education about preventative care to younger generations helps encourage healthy oral habits that lead into adulthood.
The ultimate goal is to foster a dental community and general understanding that transforms dental visits from a source of fear to an experience of trust and comfort. The worst-case scenario would be that dentists exist unbothered by the emotional response of patients. That clinic’s remain sterile and dull, making patients resent the dental industry and avoid dental healthcare. Ultimately, this could lead to serious health complications. However. In my personal experience, I have seen positive changes in the dental industry. I have observed clinics creating welcoming environments through their thoughtful design. I have experienced dentists who provide excellent care and support. Undoubtedly, most dentists are most likely kind and caring. Ideally, they will strive to provide the best possible patient care. Clinics that follow modern design concepts that promote comfort align with this. Patients will be able to overcome their dental anxieties thanks to the best practices and available resources.
References
Avramova, Nadya T. “Dental Fear, Anxiety, and Phobia – Behavioral Management and Implications for Dentists.” Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences, vol. 10, no. 1, 2023, pp. 42-50, https://doi.org/10.22543/2392-7674.1349.
Cherry, Kendra MSEd. “What Is Classical Conditioning in Psychology?” verywellmind, 1 May 2023, www.verywellmind.com/classical-conditioning-2794859.
Colgary, Christina D., et al. “One-Session Mindfulness versus Concentrative Meditation: The Effects of Stress Anticipation.” American Journal of Health Education, vol. 51, no. 2, 2020, pp. 120-128, https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2020.1712668.
“Dentophobia: Fear of Dentists.” Cleveland Clinic, 22 Mar. 2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22594-dentophobia-fear-of-dentists.
Ghidrai, George MD. “21 Amazing Innovations in Modern Dentistry.” Infodentis, 27 May 2024, www.infodentis.com/articles/dental-technology.php.
Grady, Chantelle. “The Calming Effect of Nature.” 5 Mar. 2018, www.chantellegrady.com/journal/2018/7/25/the-calming-effect-of-nature.
Kraft, David. “Treatment of Severe Dental Phobia with Systematic Desensitization: Case Study.” Contemporary Hypnosis and Integrative Therapy, vol. 33, no. 1, 2018, pp. 14-24, https://research.ebsco.com/c/upvpl6/viewer/pdf/a23labmcub.
Rae, Jennifer. “An Insight into Childsmile: The Preventative Programme Improving the Oral Health of Children in Scotland.” Dental Health, vol. 63, no. 5, 2024, pp. 36-43, https://research.ebsco.com/c/upvpl6/viewer/pdf/uv47pu7qnr.
Sabrina. “11 Simple Ways to Turn Any Room Into a Calming Space.” TheBuddingOptimist, 2025, buddingoptimist.com/calming-space/.
Schibbye, Robert MSci, et al. “Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Children and Adolescents With Dental or Injection Phobia: Randomized Controlled Trial.” Journal of Medical Internet Research, vol. 26, 2024, pp. 1-15, https://doi.org/https://www.jmir.org/2024/1/e42322.
“The History of Dentistry: From Ancient Practices to Modern Innovations.” Wedgewood Dental, 20 Jun. 2023, wedgewood-dental.com/blog/the-history-of-dentistry-from-ancient-practices-to-modern-innovations/.
“Trypanophobia: Fear of Needles.” Cleveland Clinic, 12 Apr. 2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22731-trypanophobia-fear-of-needles.
Victor, David. “How Music Can Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Health.” Harmony & Healing, 21 Nov. 2023, www.harmonyandhealing.org/how-music-can-reduce-stress/.