Spokane Dentist

Recently Dr. Smith and our Spokane Dental team received this review on our Facebook page from one of our patients:

“I have terrible anxiety when it comes to the dentist but this team, from the front office to the Dr., made me feel so listened to and cared for. I absolutely recommend them! ”

We take the comfort and care of our patients seriously, and love these types of reviews! Dental anxiety is so prevalent, and can often prevent people from getting the dental care that they need. This turns into a vicious cycle of avoiding the dentist, then when finally going having more extensive dental problems than if the patient was able to go more frequently. There are many ways to help dental anxiety:

Find the Right Practice For You

Finding a dentist and dental office that you trust goes a long way in the battle against dental anxiety. Trust is vital, not only to help dental anxiety but also to know you are getting the best possible care for your health.

At Spokane Dental, we strive to make every patient feel comfortable. We offer the highest possible standard of care for each patient, putting the patient’s overall health first. From our welcoming lobby and front office staff, to our highly competent team of hygienists and assistants, each patient is cared for on an individual basis by Dr. Smith and the team. We have state of the art technology to diagnose and treat any oral issues our patients may be experiencing in the safest possible way, and comfortable treatment rooms.

Ask Questions

One way to ease your mind in the dental chair is to simply ask questions. Fear of the unknown can really be difficult in a medical setting, so asking questions about procedures, treatments, or diagnoses can lower anxiety dramatically.

Dr. Smith and our team take time with each patient to discuss exam findings, explain what we are doing, and talk about next steps and home care. We are always more than happy to answer any questions our patients may have or explain anything further.

Utilize Calming Tools

Hate the sounds at the dentist? Bring ear phones and listen to calming music or an entertaining podcast. Unnerved by bright lights? Bring your favorite darkest sunglasses and wear them comfortably through the appointment. We want our patients to be at ease and can work with each individual person to make that happen.

Request Laughing Gas or a Numbing Agent

Another huge cause of anxiety at the dentist is the fear of pain. We are so happy to tell patients that there are many ways we can make them more comfortable throughout the visit! One option is Nitrous Oxide, or “laughing gas”, which is a safe option to help patients feel at ease.

Dr. Smith and our hygienists are also specially trained to provide local anesthetic, which is a fancy way of saying numbing the part of the mouth that is being worked on. Local anesthetic makes a dental cleaning, filling, or other treatment comfortable: the patient won’t feel a thing.

There are also options to help treat tooth or gum sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity can be treated in and outside of the office with many options Dr. Smith and your hygienist can discuss. Gum sensitivity during a dental cleaning can also be helped. Local anesthetic to the area being “cleaned” is a great option to completely eliminate pain or sensitivity, but is not the only option. An oral rinse with a numbing agent may also be a great option before the cleaning to help the patient be more comfortable throughout the cleaning.

At Spokane Dental, we treat each patient as an individual. We know that oral health greatly affects overall health and visa versa, and take our job in improving our patient’s quality of life seriously. Dental anxiety can be a great detriment to a person’s oral and overall health, but it doesn’t have to be. Let us partner with you in bettering your oral health and dental experience! Call today at (509) 822-5614 to schedule.