Is Fear Keeping You Away from the Dental Office?
I know it. I hear it often. I’m afraid of the dentist. It’s a real fear. Often it comes from a bad childhood experience. How I wish you didn’t have that experience.
But here we are, facing the results of that fear. You finally called us because you couldn’t do anything else. You’re in pain. You’re embarrassed. You put your hand over your mouth when you smile. That’s how bad your teeth look. Except now it’s worse. Now it hurts to chew. Or you’re looking for a new job, or maybe a new relationship. You now have no choice. You have to do something.
“But what will be different?” you’re thinking.
First is the doctor you will be seeing. We wouldn’t have chosen this profession, this office, or this team unless we enjoyed being with people like you. I just saw Marcy last week. She had a big smile on her face. But that’s not the Marcy from five years ago, barely able to confront the door handle to come into our office. Now she comes to our office for regular cleanings just like everyone else.
You get the courage to make the phone call. You then come in. You find out that maybe it’s a little better than you remembered. Maybe you need sedation or maybe our dental anesthesiologist to get past the fears. And you do. Your work is done. You’ve spent a comfortable time in our office. And ultimately, a switch goes off. The dental office can be a good place. You don’t need the sedation anymore. Everything is fine.
You can smile and chew and laugh just like everyone else. You can enjoy being in the dental office. Isn’t it time to take the first step?
Kerry,
Here are some questions for the radio:
1. Fear stops people from seeing the dentist, doesn’t it?
2. We’ve talked before about your advertising. You had a big realization when you started doing so. Tell our audience what that was.
3. The fearful patient often has major needs like that. When does that person finally make the decision to come in to see you?
4. What are some of the things that you do to make a person less fearful?
5. Have you ever had a patient interview you before deciding to come in for a dental appointment?
6. Do you have any stories of fearful patients that you can tell our listeners?
Lee N. Sheldon, DMD