I am very thankful that I have been fortunate enough to find this Dentist Office. The entire staff are very pleasant and genuinely care about a good outcome regardless of your situation. You could not ask for better. Dr. Parker is great…😀 …
Lets face it – the vast majority of people aren’t thrilled about visiting the dentist. At absolute best, they’re neutral about the experience. But for the dentally fearful – those suffering from dental fear or dental anxiety – the thought of seeing a dentist can cause major stress.
At Charles F. Betts, Jr. D.M.D Family Dentistry in Decatur, AL, we know that people don’t want to be afraid of having dental work done. People want to take good care of their teeth. But there’s just something about going to the dentist that brings up an avoidance reaction in some people – tens of millions of people in this country alone, by one estimate.
It doesn’t have to be that way, and at Charles F. Betts, Jr. D.M.D Family Dentistry we’re doing something about it.
Let’s start by taking a look at dental fear and dental anxiety.
Root Causes
No one is born afraid of the dentist. A reaction of fear or anxiety to even the idea of visiting a dental practice is a learned behavior.
You can learn based on your own experience or that of other people. For instance, you might have had a dental appointment that didn’t go well. Perhaps you felt pain, or gagged, or became a little claustrophobic while in the chair. No matter what happened, if it made a negative impression on you, you were almost certainly reluctant to put yourself in that position again.
Or maybe you’ve been subjected to horror stories about other people’s experiences with dentists. Enough of those will put you right off the idea of ever setting foot in a dental practice again.
However – and this is the good news – learned behaviors can be unlearned. Our Decatur, AL dental practice office has helped thousands of people gain a much greater comfort level with dentistry.
Here’s how we do it.
Knowledge Is Power
One of the most important things that we do for our fearful or anxious patients is to talk with them before any procedure begins.
Dr. Betts understands how dentistry has changed in the last 25 years, and he knows that things that were common “back in the day” are very uncommon now. He’ll be happy to explain why you no longer need to be concerned about something that might have happened in a dental chair a long time ago.
He’ll also explain exactly what will happen during your procedure and what you can expect.
Dr. Betts will also tell you about the advanced technology we employ – digital X-rays expose you to less radiation and give us a clearer picture of what is going on in your mouth. We can also detect problems before they become painful or complicated thanks to Spectra fluorescence technology, transillumination, and an intraoral camera.
Knowledge and Caring Is REALLY Powerful
At at Charles F. Betts, Jr. D.M.D Family Dentistry, your physical and emotional wellbeing are our primary concerns. We go to great lengths to ensure your comfort through every moment of your time in our office.
Our operatories are semi-private so you won’t feel on display. If a blanket and a pillow will help you relax, just ask. We’ll give you goggles to protect your eyes during the procedure if you like. We’ll go at your pace; if you need a short break, or a longer appointment so you won’t feel rushed, just tell us.
We expect that you will not feel pain at any stage. If you tell us you feel pain, we’ll take immediate steps to alleviate it.
And for those who need a little more help to relax during their time with us, we offer nitrous oxide which will induce a sense of calm and relaxation. Nitrous oxide has been used safely in dentistry for decades, and the effects wear off almost instantly once the flow of gas is stopped.
There Is Help And Hope With Charles F. Betts, Jr. D.M.D Family Dentistry
You can have the best dental experience of your life at our Decatur, AL practice. Schedule an appointment by calling our office at 256-274-8680 If you have questions or if you would prefer to book an appointment online, you can use our convenient online form.
All of us at Charles F. Betts, Jr. D.M.D Family Dentistry look forward to showing you why you don’t have avoid the dentist.