I’ve been going to the same dental clinic for a while. My dentist had a tragedy in his family and decided to retire early. I loved him because he was so compassionate. He knew I was skittish in the dental chair and always took his time so I’d feel comfortable. He’d talk me through everything. I know for certain that he did talk to the person who took over his practice about my anxiety because he told me he did. Yet, when I went in for my first appointment, I felt rushed. He exam also felt a bit rough to me. By the end of it I was shaking. There were lots more people there than usual. The wait was longer than I’d ever experienced and when I signed in I noticed that several of us were down for the same exact appointment time. I wonder if I should look for a new dentist. I don’t think it’s going to be at all like my old clinic.
Danielle L.
Dear Danielle,
It sounds like the new dentist has a different business model than your old one. Unfortunately, his sounds more like a conveyor belt than a compassionate clinic. If he’s scheduling several people for the same time he’s more interested in how many patients he can get in and out than he is about making sure patients are comfortable. You may have to find a new dentist.
There are several ways to find a compassionate dentist. They typically use similar terms on their websites which can help you in an internet search. Look for terms like:
- Sedation Dentist
- Cater to Cowards Dentist
- Gentle Dentist
Most of those will work with you in an understanding way. But, be sure to check their reviews on Google and Yelp to be sure what they advertise and what they actually do match up.
What I don’t want is for you to let this experience keep you from going for a while. You could end up with a dental emergency, which will do nothing for your anxiety. Those appointments are much more stressful.
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