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I feel anxious about dental appointments, what can I do?

Quick answer: Turn on the anxious patient setting in your profile. Your clinician sees it confidentially before your appointment, so there is no awkward conversation when you arrive.

Feeling anxious about the dentist is very common and nothing to be embarrassed about. The worst thing it does is keep people away until a small problem becomes a bigger one.

You do not have to say it out loud

For a lot of people the hardest part is having to explain themselves at the appointment, often to someone they have just met, sometimes while already in the chair.

We want to make it easier. Switch it on in your profile and your clinician sees it privately in advance. They will already know before you walk in, and they will adjust how they work with you without you having to raise it. Nobody in the waiting room knows, and you never have to say the words if you would rather not.

You can turn it off again at any time.

What your clinician will do differently

We see anxious patients every day, so this is familiar ground rather than a special case. Expect them to explain each step before they do it, check in with you more often, and go at your pace.

Other things that help

  • Agree a hand signal so you can pause at any time
  • Bring headphones and listen to something
  • Book earlier in the day so you are not sitting with it for hours
  • Bring someone with you, a support person is always welcome
  • Start with a Clean and Check Up, it’s the best place to start, and you can ask your clinician about anything else while you are there.
  • Book a consultation if you want to talk something through before committing to it. You get to know your clinician, and have the opportunity to learn more about the process.

If it is the cost that worries you

That is a different kind of anxiety and a very common one. You will always see the price before you book, and we have a few ways to spread it out, including Afterpay, Zip Pay and payment plans for bigger treatment. Just ask us and we will talk you through it.

Note: If there is something specific that helps you, or something that makes it worse, add it to your appointment notes. Your clinician reads those before you arrive.