How do I go about finding a dentist who treats people with dental fear?
A. Rely on the recommendation of friends, neighbors and relatives rather than on yellow page ads. When you call an office be up front about your fears; don’t try to hide them. Good offices have good telephone receptionists who identify themselves by name and ask how they can be of help. Request that the doctor meet with you without doing any treatment for the first visit. You should expect to pay for the doctor’s time. At the very least try to get the doctor to return your call and answer your questions. If you encounter resistance to this then you have called the wrong office. At your first visit you should get to meet the doctor privately to discuss your problem. Try to meet the staff as well since they are an important part of the office. Get a tour of the office if you are comfortable with doing so. At least check to see if steps have been taken to eliminate some of the scary things you might expect to see in a dental office. You want to note if the office is clean, tidy and up to
