I’ve always been nervous at the dentist. I don’t know why. Yet, I’ve never met a dentist who seemed to care. It’s discouraging because I want to take care of my teeth, but this last visit was the worst. I was a little jittery before the needle. I asked him to wait, but he said I was being a child and just did it anyway. I had to stay still because he was jabbing me, but I would have punched him if I could. Is there a dentist who can be a little patient? Yes, I’m a grown man. That doesn’t mean I’m thrilled to have a giant needle being stuck into my gums.

Luke A.

Dear Luke,

That is not typical behavior from a dentist, at least not any dentist I know. It’s not uncommon for adults to be just as uncomfortable at a dentist’s office as the younger set of patients. As a dentist, he should know that.

First, I want to assure you that not only can you find a compassionate dentist, but you can have dental appointments in a relaxing way.

There are dentists who specifically cater to nervous patients. Most of them offer some form of dental sedation as well. If it’s the shot which makes you the most nervous, Dr. Swearingen uses a different type of needle called “The Wand”. It gives pain-free injections.

Do a search for those type of dentists. You can search “gentle dentists”, “cater to cowards dentists”, or “sedation dentists”. After your search, I think it’s important you also look at their reviews on sites like Google or Yelp. You want to make sure that people who’ve been to their office have had good experiences.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Don Swearingen.