For people in the dental field ONLY?
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Hey, nobody likes pain, but understanding what is going on goes a LONG way towards reducing the fear factor.
I remember one time when my dad and I didn't have time to wait for me to get numb and he said, "Okay, pretend you are numb," and started right in to drilling. THAT was fearful at first, but I realized that many patients prefer not to be numb, so I got through it easily. I figured that I OUGHT to know what it feels like to have a tooth drilled without being numb, so I turned it into an experiment instead of a fearful experience.
A dentist is human being just like you are. Yes they do become apprehensive about having a tooth drilled, or a root canal done. The best way to relax is realize that it will be over in few minutes. A dentist knows what to expect and how long it will take. He/She can follow each phase of the procedure and know that with each phase the time to completion is getting closer. And I hope this helped you, but I am not going to write your paper for you. You can do that yourself.
I worked for Delta Dental Minnesota for four years in the 1990's. In my work, I talked to hundreds of dentists every year. Since I have a total phobia about going to the dentist, this is a subject that came up fairly often in our conversations.
I found several dentists (probably half a dozen or so) who told me that they had the same fears I did when going as a patient instead of as the doctor. I would find any excuse to break an appointment and have gone as long as three years without even a cleaning. A few dentists expressed the same reluctance, along with the panic attacks that hit when the novocaine needle started in. The dentists said the worst feeling was that of not being in control of the situation. They trusted themselves to be gentle with others, but had trouble trusting another dentist in their mouth.
Not one ever reported getting extra cavities or other tooth problems because of their fears. They all said they forced themselves to go, because they realized that a dentist with bad teeth is probably going to lose customers. Dentists find it easy to switch their own dentist since they usually give each other free treatment, so if they don't click with one, they will find one they can be comfortable with.
Best,
Ed N., RN, BSN
(feel free to email me if I can be of any help with your paper)
Speaking as a dentist, most of us did have exposure to the dental field before we decided to go to dental school, so we usually have a good impression of what dental treatment involves. Because of that, I'd say we dentists are probably less afraid to be in the chair than most other people.
As a matter of fact, many of us got our dental problems fixed by our classmates while in dental school-- It was free dental care, so why not! ;-)
Me, I got my 4 wisdoms extracted and 3 cavities filled by my classmates while I was in dental school. Was I nervous? Sure. But at least my teeth were fixed by a classmate who I knew could do a decent job (you spend 4 years with some people, you tend to get to know them pretty well).
I am not only a dentist.. I was also a patient!
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