Dental Anxiety? Here's How to Find a Dentist Who Gets It
Millions of people avoid the dentist because of fear. SmilesMatch lets you filter for dentists who specialise in anxious patients.
Dental anxiety is real and extremely common — studies estimate 15–20% of people avoid the dentist primarily because of fear. The good news: there are dentists who have built their entire practice around making anxious patients comfortable.
What makes a dentist anxiety-friendly?
- Sedation options: nitrous oxide (laughing gas), oral sedation, or IV sedation
- Pause signals: the ability to stop a procedure at any time, no questions asked
- No-judgment policies: no lecturing about how long it's been since your last visit
- Longer appointment slots: so you're never rushed
- Detailed explanations: the dentist explains exactly what they're doing before doing it
How SmilesMatch helps
When you take the SmilesMatch quiz, one of the questions asks about your comfort level with dental visits on a 1–5 scale. If you indicate anxiety (3 or higher), we prioritise practices that have specifically indicated they see anxious patients and offer sedation options.
You can also mention your anxiety in the appointment notes when booking — most practices will adjust their approach before you even arrive.
What to say at your first visit
Tell the front desk when you book: 'I have dental anxiety and want to speak with the doctor before any procedures.' A good practice will give you a consultation appointment first, so you can meet the dentist, ask questions, and decide if you feel comfortable — before any needles or drills are involved.
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