A First Step Toward Care
Andrea Crookston avoided routine dental visits because fear made the sounds and setting difficult to face. She sought care when she wanted a healthier, more functional smile, after dental problems had affected her ability to eat and feel comfortable smiling. Her experience shows how anxiety can delay care, but it is one person’s story, not a prediction of what another patient will need or experience. Her account at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry describes a team that discussed treatment options with her and used digital tools to help plan care.
Crookston’s treatment took place at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, not at Best Choice Dental. The information provided for this article contains no verified patient account from Best Choice Dental, so her experience should not be presented as a local patient story or as evidence of a particular outcome at the Totowa practice.
Dental anxiety varies from person to person, and care plans should reflect each patient’s needs. This article explores what anxiety can feel like, how clear, supportive communication can help patients feel heard, and practical ways to approach a visit. At Best Choice Dental, personalized care is part of a family-oriented practice offering comprehensive oral healthcare for patients of all ages.
Understanding Dental Anxiety
Dental anxiety is worry, fear, or apprehension about visiting a dentist or receiving treatment. It can range from mild nervousness to intense fear that leads someone to avoid care. It is not automatically a phobia: people experience dental anxiety at different levels and for different reasons. The Better Health Channel’s overview of dental anxiety notes that it can affect people of any age.
Triggers may include needles, drills, unfamiliar surroundings, anticipated pain, embarrassment, or feeling vulnerable and out of control. A difficult dental or healthcare experience can contribute, as can broader anxiety or hearing about someone else’s distressing visit. Crookston described the sound of a drill as frightening, but that was her particular trigger, not a universal explanation for dental fear.
Because each person’s concerns differ, telling the dental team what feels difficult can help them adapt explanations and care to the patient. At Best Choice Dental, a family-oriented practice in Totowa, care is offered to patients of all ages, with attention to personalized and comfortable treatment.
Recognizing Anxiety and Its Effects
Dental anxiety can show up as tension, worry, or fear before or during an appointment. Some people also experience sweating, a racing heartbeat, nausea, or trouble sleeping. Others may miss visits or put off booking one. Symptoms vary, and having them does not automatically mean someone has a dental phobia. The Better Health Channel’s guidance on dental anxiety recommends telling the dental team about your concerns so they can discuss ways to make care more manageable.
Avoiding checkups can allow oral-health problems to go unnoticed and worsen. Treatment may then become more urgent or complex, which can add to fear and make further visits harder to face. This cycle does not unfold the same way for everyone, but regular examinations can help identify concerns before they progress.
Andrea Crookston’s experience at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry illustrates one possible course. She generally sought care when pain became unbearable; over time, her teeth deteriorated, with many breaking and requiring extraction. She also had difficulty eating some foods and felt unable to hide her smile. Her experience is individual, not a prediction of what will happen to every patient.
If fear is making appointments difficult, sharing what feels stressful can give the team a chance to adapt the visit. At Best Choice Dental in Totowa, personalized care for patients of all ages can include discussing concerns and pacing care around a patient’s needs.
Making the First Visit Manageable
A little preparation can make an appointment feel more predictable. Before booking or arriving, note what tends to trigger your anxiety, such as sounds, pain concerns, or feeling rushed, and tell the dental team. Ask what to expect and request plain-language explanations before or during treatment. Clear, two-way communication can help patients feel heard and take part in decisions, according to a 2024 review of dentist-patient communication.
You can also agree on a hand signal that means “please pause,” practice slow, steady breathing, and ask whether headphones or music are allowed. These practical steps are among the approaches described by the Better Health Channel. If you have been away from care for a while, consider starting with a conversation or a simple visit before deciding on treatment.
Embarrassment about the condition of your teeth can make reaching out harder, but you deserve to be treated with respect, not judgment. Share what worries you and ask to agree on a manageable first step. At Best Choice Dental, personalized care for patients of all ages is part of the practice’s family-oriented approach; you can raise comfort concerns and ask questions before care begins. For more preparation ideas, see these dental anxiety visit tips.
Routine examinations, cleanings, and X-rays can help identify concerns early, when care may be simpler. The right schedule depends on your needs, so discuss timing with a dental professional rather than assuming one interval suits everyone. If fear feels overwhelming, tell the team; they can discuss what support may be appropriate.
Communication Builds Trust
A dental team can make treatment more comfortable by listening without judgment and asking what specifically causes concern, whether it is pain, sounds, or feeling out of control. Sharing those concerns when booking gives the team a chance to prepare support that fits the patient.
A 2024 literature review describes effective dentist-patient communication as a two-way exchange: patients can ask questions, explain their preferences, understand the dentist’s explanations, and take part in decisions. The review links clear, patient-centered communication with reduced anxiety and greater confidence (communication review).
Practical steps can make that exchange easier. Clinicians can listen without interrupting, notice emotional cues, and explain procedures and instruments in plain language before treatment begins. Visual aids, such as a model or image, may clarify what is planned. The team can check in during care and allow time for questions or breaks. Dental-assistant guidance also recommends agreeing on a signal a patient can use to request a pause (patient comfort guidance).
Before agreeing on a plan, patients and dentists can discuss treatment options, their benefits and risks, and sensations the patient may notice. A stop signal and regular check-ins can support a sense of control, though they cannot guarantee that anxiety will disappear. Patients can also ask which comfort measures, including local anesthesia or other approaches, are suitable for their health and planned care.
In a University of Kentucky patient story, Andrea Crookston’s care team used digital technology to simulate possible results and planned treatment with her. That example shows how visual information and shared decisions can help make complex care more understandable; it is a report about her treatment, not a description of care at Best Choice Dental. Best Choice Dental serves patients of all ages with comprehensive dental care, where personal communication can help tailor visits to individual concerns.
Discussing Comfort and Medication
Medication can help some patients feel calmer during dental care, but it is not necessary or suitable for everyone. The right approach depends on your anxiety, health history, current medications, and planned treatment. At Best Choice Dental, patients can discuss their concerns and care needs with the dental team, who can help explain appropriate comfort options without assuming a particular method is right for every person.
The Better Health Channel’s guidance on dental anxiety describes options that include nitrous oxide, prescribed oral anxiety-relieving medication, intravenous conscious sedation, and general anesthesia. These differ in how alert a patient remains, where care is provided, and what recovery may involve. Availability and suitability vary, so ask your treating clinician which options, if any, fit your circumstances.
Do not self-medicate or take another person’s sedative before an appointment. Use a medication only if a qualified clinician has prescribed it or specifically approved it for you. Before treatment, share your medical history and all medicines you take, and ask about possible interactions, transport home, and aftercare instructions. Sedation can cause drowsiness, and some forms require a responsible person to drive you.
If you are wondering whether to take something before a visit, contact the dental team first rather than deciding on your own. You can also discuss non-medication support and a pace that feels manageable; personalized approaches to dental anxiety may help you prepare for that conversation.
Choosing Treatment Together
Andrea Crookston’s case shows how treatment planning can involve comparing options rather than assuming one procedure fits every patient. At the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, her team discussed dentures and implant rehabilitation, then used digital simulations to review possible results with her before choosing an All-on-5 treatment. The team’s Dr. Ted Raybould said fillings would not have corrected the advanced breakdown of Crookston’s remaining teeth. The University of Kentucky’s account describes a complex restorative decision, not a general treatment for dental anxiety.
An All-on-4/All-on-X full-arch fixed hybrid bridge is supported by four to six titanium implants placed in the upper or lower jaw. The source describes this approach as an option for some people who have lost many or all of their teeth, or whose extensive tooth wear calls for bite reconstruction. It notes that treatment may involve fewer visits and a shorter wait before eating than staged implant treatment, and may be more cost-effective. Those possibilities depend on the individual’s needs and plan, and should not be treated as guaranteed outcomes.
A few months after her upper fixed bridge procedure, Crookston said she felt and looked better, could eat more comfortably, and no longer covered her teeth when smiling. She still experienced some anxiety, but said she trusted her care team. This is a University of Kentucky patient story, not a Best Choice Dental testimonial or evidence that the practice offers this specialized treatment. At Best Choice Dental, personalized care means discussing a patient’s circumstances and options; readers can also explore collaborative treatment planning.
Confidence Grows Through Ongoing Care
Confidence can build gradually when patients feel heard, understand their choices, and can take care at a manageable pace. Anxiety may still be present, and each person’s experience is different.
At Best Choice Dental, care for patients of all ages includes a range of oral health services, with attention to individual concerns and comfort. Tell your dental professional what worries you and ask for guidance suited to your needs. Routine exams can help identify concerns early, before they become more difficult to address.
For more on dental anxiety and communication, read the Better Health Channel’s guidance on dental anxiety and this review of dentist-patient communication. These general resources can inform questions, but do not replace advice from a clinician familiar with your health and dental needs.
A More Comfortable Way Forward
Dental care does not have to begin with a major treatment decision. A question about what to expect, or a concern about pain, sounds, or past experiences, can give a dental team a starting point for a more manageable conversation. Clear, two-way communication can help patients understand their choices and take part in decisions, as described in this review of dentist-patient communication.
At Best Choice Dental in Totowa, patients of all ages can discuss their concerns as part of personalized care across a range of dental services. Each person’s needs and circumstances differ, so a clinician can help consider suitable next steps without promising a particular outcome. If you feel ready, sharing one question or concern is enough to begin.
