October is widely accepted as the month for spooky haunted houses, scary movies, and dark fall nights as the days get shorter. You know what shouldn’t be scary, though? Your patient’s trip to your office. According to Delta Dental, roughly 54% of the U.S. adult population experiences some degree of dental anxiety. Read on for some tips on how to leave the scary feelings for Halloween through transparency, comfort, and patient appreciation.
Anxiety Causes
It may seem obvious, but dental anxiety can often stem from previous bad experiences, feeling vulnerable lying back in the chair, or the fear of pain. Another common cause, though, is the fear of the unknown. What seems obvious to a trained dentist is often a mystery to the average patient.
How to Identify Anxiety
Some offices use an anxiety questionnaire as part of their patient intake process. This can be an easy way to identify whether dental work makes a patient nervous. However, this is not a catch-all. Some patients may not want to admit they have anxiety, or don’t want to seem like a burden.
Some other ways to evaluate anxiety is to be aware of how your patient responds. Do they talk quickly? Do they seem restless? Are they sweating a lot? Some of these are obvious, and others can be more subtle. This article describes some other ways to assess a patient’s anxiety levels.
How You Can Help
While sedation can be helpful with addressing patient anxiety, there are other ways you can support your patient.
Tackling the Fear of the Unknown
Patients who fear the unknown can get especially nervous when you present treatment that they are unfamiliar with. While cleanings are routine and standard, patients who suddenly need to get more intensive treatment are often less anxious if the process is explained. Using visual aids, explaining each step of the way, and using calm, clear language can go a long way to ease a patient’s fears.
Clearly explaining treatment options is also important. Patients who can make informed decisions on their healthcare are often more confident when the work is actually completed. See our post on Presenting and Managing Treatment Options to learn how to utilize the Treatment Plan when giving patients multiple options.
Tackling Sensory Fears
Some patients’ anxieties are caused or worsened by the sensory overload in a dental office. Bright lights, harsh smells, and loud noises can all be very overwhelming for an already anxious patient. See our post on The Impact of Interior Design in Your Dental Practice!
Many offices offer a soft blanket or a comfortable pillow for patients while they lie in the chair, but further support can be found by offering a patient headphones, a stress ball to squeeze, or even using aromatherapy to help with the overload. For kids being treated at the office, maybe even consider having some small stuffed animals they can take with them and cuddle in the chair!
Tackling the Fear of the Bill
Even patients who have no dental anxiety while in the chair can be suddenly overwrought with nerves when it comes to their dental bill. Just like with treatment, clear, transparent communication about costs can help.
Whether it’s making sure your insurance estimates are accurate, fees are correct, or simply making a patient aware of their financing options, these conversations can go a long way for these patients.
Building Trust with Your Patient
Any of the above can help build trust with your patient, but you can take this even further with showing patient appreciation! This can especially help children who come to your office feel more welcome when they know there are fun events.
Some ideas for these could be:
- Community wellness fair: Not only does this support local businesses around you, it can be a way to show your patients that you care about more than their dental health.
- A family-friendly event: Hosting entertainment that parents can also bring their kids to, like a back to school event, a raffle with games, and more!
- A Halloween Candy Buy-Back event: Whether you’re donating the candy through programs like Soldier’s Angels, Troopathon, Ronald McDonald House, or even something local, accepting candy donations in exchange for prizes can be a great way to get involved in your patients’ community.
Social media is another great way to engage with your patients. Patients who feel like they know their providers are often less likely to feel anxious, or at the very least, will feel more supported. Read our blog post about Social Media for Dentists to learn more.
Hopefully this post will help you brainstorm some ideas for supporting those patients who are feeling especially anxious, or even just how to connect with your local community even more.