Nervous about going to the dentist? Willows Dental is here to help

Welcome to Willows Dental & Implant Centre. Are you nervous about going to the dentist? As a dental phobia centre, we are passionate about helping to reduce anxiety around dental visits. So if you are feeling anxious, read on to find out how we can help.

Nervous patients – the facts

If you feel nervous about visiting the dentist, don’t worry – you are not alone. According to the 2021 Adult Oral Health Survey 2021, among adults with natural teeth:

• 12% had a score indicating extreme dental anxiety
• 42% had scores amounting to moderate anxiety and
• 14% of younger adults had higher extreme anxiety (16-24 years)

What makes us different

As a nervous patient centre we have thought about the patient experience from end to end. That’s why all Willows patients get a warm welcome, a calming environment, and a team that listens without judgement.

Your very first interaction is vitally important. Whether it’s by phone, live chat, or WhatsApp, we make it easy for you to reach out in the way that feels most comfortable.

Your first call with our team is an exploratory chat about why you feel nervous. Often, it stems from a bad experience, or perhaps not having things explained to you properly. In some cases, it’s the noises or the clinical environment, we understand. The good news is that we have thought about it and have lots of ways to help you relax.

The process

We ensure that our team is briefed on any new nervous patient coming through our doors, so that you are handled in a way that is better than any previous experience. We will then book you an orientation appointment, where you are welcome to come in and meet everyone and take a look around. We can combine it with a consultation if you wish. Whatever you choose, our team will fully explain how long the process will take, who you need to meet and what you can expect from your visit. Come in, have a drink with us and let us put you at ease.

Your initial consultation usually starts in a non-clinical environment, so that you can fully discuss how you will be handled by our dentist and team. We ensure that all of our nervous patients are taken to our Patient Care Room- a room that we have designed to look like a small snug or living room, to help you feel more relaxed.

During this consultation, you will be seen by the team responsible for your care. If you are happy to be examined, then our dentist will fully explain each part of that process, including the 30–point health check system that we have in place.

Tailor your experience with us

As an innovative practice we have several services that help reduce the anxiety around dental visits:

 

#1 You are in control

One of our surgeries has an in-built stop switch in our chair, so that you are in control of any drills, noises or water flow. This gives you peace of mind that if you don’t like a sound or experience, you can make it stop immediately. One of the main complaints people have when they come to us is that the dentist carried on when they told them to stop. We put the power back in your hands.

 

#2 Knowledge is power

You are welcome to meet everyone involved in your care, so that each team member can fully explain what will happen during the different stages of your treatment and better understand what element of the treatment may trigger some reaction.

 

#3 Our non-clinical team

Our highly-experienced Patient Care Co-ordinator will have all the information provided by the dentist and go through a nervous patient consultation with you, which fully explains all the procedures and how we treat any issues.

They will explain our package options and memberships, tailoring your treatment plan to suit any particular fears, making recommendations only on the procedures that will help to reduce your anxiety. This may include using protein rich growth factors to speed up healing, sedation and our gold standard extraction packages, all designed to minimise discomfort and speed up the healing process.

 

#4 Less time in the chair

We understand that a lot of people simply don’t like people poking around in their mouths, which is why we have introduced digital scanning and intraoral photography, to replace impressions- improving accuracy and reducing the need for oral exams.

We offer same-day lab work for patients who want to spend as little time with us as possible and in the unlikely event that you experience pain out of hours, we have secure lockers that you can access with unique codes for routine antibiotics and pain relief, with 24/7 on-call support.

 

#5 Sedation for treatments

Sedation is a huge part of making nervous patients feel more relaxed- but this comes with its own triggers, so we spend a lot of time explaining the process to you, and what options are available.

We know that it takes time for nervous patients to trust us, so we often design treatment plans over longer terms than usual. Our goal is to build lifelong trust.

 

#6 Engaging the senses

We also have calming candles in every room, heated by a special light to release the aroma- which can be tailored with more relaxing scents such as lavender.

We have a sound system in each room, where you get to choose your own music, noise-cancelling headphones and overhead TV’s, so that you can customise your audio-visual experience to suit how much you want to see and hear during procedures.

 

#7 Our furry friends

And finally, the stars of our show, Penny and Maverick- our assistance dogs.

For any nervous patients who love dogs, our two Bernese Mountain Dogs are on hand to provide comfort and cuddles. Willows Dental was the first practice in the UK to introduce therapy dogs- and Penny and Maverick are happy to help!

Our difference is in the details-  from ‘we don’t judge’ to ‘our time is yours’. Our team is trained to spot anxiety and adapt. Last year alone, we helped hundreds of nervous patients return to regular dental care and we are constantly looking for ways to improve our nervous patient experience.

Willows are here for your journey

As a nervous patient centre (and an award-winning one at that), we are here to help. So don’t be nervous, it will be smiles all round with Willows Dental & Implant Centre.

Contact us today to find out more or make an appointment.

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