Dentistry for Anxious Patients– Maplewood, MN
Safe and Supportive Dental Care for Anxious Patients
According to a recent study, an astounding 73 percent of American adults have some degree of dental anxiety. Unfortunately, this can often lead to canceled or skipped dental appointments, leaving your oral and overall health in jeopardy. At Hilltop Dental, we take a different approach to oral health care. We truly understand that visiting the dentist can be scary for some patients, and we strive to do our best to make your time with us feel safe and comfortable, whether you’re here for an exam and cleaning, a restoration, or even a cosmetic treatment. Here’s a little more about our approach.
Why Choose Hilltop Dental for Dentistry for Anxious Patients?
- Caring and compassionate dental team
- Breaks, extra time, and reassurance offered throughout your entire appointment
- We explain each step of treatment and go at your pace
What Causes Dental Anxiety?
There are many reasons patients may have dental anxiety. Whether they’ve had a bad experience with a previous dentist or treatment, don’t like the sound of the tools used during their procedure, have a sensitive gag reflex, or are fearful that a procedure may be painful, these can all make it extremely difficult to commit to caring for your smile. Unfortunately, this often results in skipped or canceled appointments, leaving your mouth vulnerable to a variety of problems that could be missed as a result. This in turn can make those problems worse, and by the time you do address them they may end up being more painful and expensive than if you had caught them sooner.
Warning Signs of Dental Phobia
While it is normal to have some degree of anxiety before a dental appointment, it is not healthy when it becomes so severe that you are neglecting your oral health. Some warning signs of serious dental phobia include:
- Avoiding the dentist, skipping regular exams, or cancelling preventive exams out of fear.
- Rapid heartbeat or increased blood pressure at the dentist’s office.
- Shaking or trembling.
- Dizziness or lightheadedness.
- Feeling panicked, anxious, or irritable.
- Difficulty sleeping before an appointment.
- Resistance or inability to cooperate with your dentist or dental team.
- Excessive worry about your upcoming appointment.
Our Approach
At Hilltop Dental, we truly understand that it can be scary to visit the dentist, even as an adult. We also know that protecting your teeth and gums is essential to living a long, healthy life. That’s why we are committed to working together to help each and every patient have a pleasant, comfortable experience no matter what brings them here.
Our approach is simple: treat each patient like we would our own family. Listen to their goals, their fears, and their experiences. We will never move forward with a treatment or step without your full consent. We will walk you through each step, answer each question and check in with you frequently throughout your visit to ensure you are feeling comfortable, and never make you feel rushed. To that end, we are happy to provide you with breaks during treatment and move at your pace.
If you’ve been hesitant to visit the dentist due to fear or anxiety, we want you to know you’re not alone. At Hilltop Dental, we’re proud to be a safe space for patients of all ages. Working together, we’re here to help you rebuild your trust in dentistry, ease your anxiety, and treat both your well-being and your smile in a way that puts your comfort first.