You and I are healers and we both treat something between the ears. You treat dental health, I treat mental health. A founding principle of being an effective healer is being able to promote a feeling of safety and security for the patient. 25 years into the profession and backed by years of research, I consistently read that the #1 variable that predicts positive treatment outcomes in therapy is the relationship between the patient and the provider. This relationship “container” is essential if you are interested in treating the whole patient. With time constraints, how do you quickly establish rapport and create a felt sense of safety and security for your patient? When working with patients who struggle with anxiety, it’s even more challenging and more important to not overlook this step. Rates of anxiety have tripled since the pandemic began, so more patients than ever are coming to you feeling uneasy. 

1 in 3 of your patients experience moderate to severe dental anxiety. They white knuckle it, often masking how they feel due to shame.  Many suffer with dread and anxiety for days before their appointment. Many of these patients avoid preventative care and only show up when they are having an emergency. For them, they suffer the consequences of poor oral health and unnecessary pain. 

The antidote to anxiety is 3 things.  It’s how therapists have been successfully treating anxiety in our own offices for decades.  It’s how Active Anxiolytics works.