Did you know that fear of the dentist is the primary reason UK adults give for failing to attend regular dental appointments – far more than worries about costs or lack of time? Fear of the dentist is a common issue and can range from mild anxiety to full-blown phobia.

At Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton we empathise with patients who suffer from dental phobia, but do not believe it should be a barrier to getting the treatment you need or the smile you deserve. Our skilled and experienced dental team have worked with many anxious and phobic patients to help them conquer their fear once and for all.

We don’t believe in using sedation during treatment, but instead take the time to talk to our patients and find out the cause of their fear. We are proud to practice gentle dentistry.

Thanks to advances in techniques and equipment, many dental treatments are now pain-free. For more complex procedures we use local anaesthetic to ensure that you will experience no discomfort.

One of the main factors of dental anxiety is a fear of being out of control. We will take the time to ensure you feel in control at all stages of treatment, and will provide you with hand signals so that you can indicate if you need to take a short break at any time. Don’t think this will upset the dentist or affect their schedule; we always ensure that adequate time is built into every appointment for breaks, because we know that everyone needs to take a breather now and again.

Many patients who have not seen a dentist in some years because of dental phobia also fear being judged because their teeth are in poor condition. You can rest assured that at Benhill Dental Practice we will never be judgemental; the whole team is sympathetic to patients’ concerns, and all we want is to help you get back into full oral health, then to maintain it for life.

Are you afraid of the dentist? Then you are not alone. Fear of the dentist is the main reason patients in the UK cite for failing to keep up regular dental appointments. At Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton, we have helped many nervous patients to get the dental treatment they need, by practising gentle dentistry.

Fear of the dentist has a plethora of causes. Some people have had a bad experience as a child, which has put them off seeking dental treatment for life. Others have specific triggers, such as the sound of the drill or the sight of a needle. The fear of not being in control is also common, along with shame about the condition of your teeth if you haven’t seen a dentist in many years.

Putting off dental treatment until an emergency arises can also add to nervous patients’ fear, as problems that could have been prevented with regular dental check-ups end up requiring more invasive treatment.

At Benhill Dental Practice has many years of experience working with nervous patients, without the need for sedation. By taking the time to talk to patients about their concerns and by practising gentle dentistry, we have helped scores of patients get the treatment they need.

Modern dental techniques have advanced greatly and most treatments are now practically pain-free. We use local anaesthetic for more complex procedures, and will ensure that you know how to signal to us if you need a break during treatment. That way, you can be assured that you will always be comfortable and in control at all stages of treatment.

If you first come to us for emergency dental treatment, our first priority will be to get you out of pain. We will treat any urgent problems, then will schedule follow-up appointments are necessary to help get you back to full dental health – and maintain your health going forward.