I was a bit reluctant to read this article, but I am glad I did. But my anxiety did go through the roof while reading it.

Fair warning, this is a long post with a lot of buildup of my own experience with the dentist. The relevant part is the last couple paragraphs but context is all before.

A few years ago I had horrible dental anxiety. Enough so that I would have a fight or flight moment just sitting in a chair. When I was young (baby teeth coming out age) I had been told that I was going in specifically so some teeth could be loosened so they would come out naturally. That did not happen, they pulled them outright and that forever broke my trust. They even had to use those sizer like clamps to keep my mouth open (the ones that sit on your tongue, not the nice cheek ones we have now) I was lied too, and at a young age. Maybe they though I would be less scared but it hurt my trust going forward. But basically I did not go to the dentist after that point unless my parents dragged me... and I put up enough of a fight both getting there and in the chair that they gave up. I wasn't a brat, I had no issue with the doctor... I was just scared out of my god damn mind. Once I became an adult I didn't go to the dentist for... 6 or so years.

I even chipped a tooth and the idea of going the dentist scared me so much that I was desperately looking for some "secret" solution to grow back the tooth... as an adult. But I even ignored that.

Finally my wisdom teeth happened. And they hurt like hell, but they actually came in fine. But they got a cavity because while the teeth themselves came in, fitting brush between them is another story. I was in horrible pain and I could not let it go any longer. I was still scared shitless but... pain is quite the motivator.

I remember the first Dentist I went to. It was a big chain (I don't know if national but there are a lot of them. I called them and explained my situation. I stressed that I had a lot of dental anxiety and why. They reassured me that they had someone who specialized in this. So I get there... explain again why I have anxiety. He proceeds to do the examination without tools, just taking a look at things. He does the X-rays. And then right as we are about to leave, he takes one of the tools and quickly scrapes one of my teeth (with no warning)... I have not wanted to run out of a place quicker in my life. It wasn't a necessary scrape, I am convinced he did it to be like "See this isn't too bad" He completely ignored WHY I had anxiety. I was not happy... It isn't the tools it was the being lied too. The tools never bothered me (that's partially a lie, if I had to see the open mouth clamps that they used when I was young I would probably scream).

Finally I found another dentist. Slightly more upscale to be honest, but there were some basic things they did that tremendously helped me... like before I ever came in the dentist called me to chat to see how I was handling the pain, to make sure I was comfortable with what the appointment (to be clear this was not his assistant, but the actual dentist). I got to meet him on my terms, home on my couch. When I finally got there I never felt rushed, I was told I could come in early and just sit in the chair if I needed (not sit back until I was ready). I was checked on by various people during this time, but when he finally came in for the actual appointment I was laying back in the chair... anxious but calm because I got there on my terms.

Flash forward... and I have for sure had a fair number of operations from them. 3 teeth extractions (2 of them being impacted with each other), 2 of my wisdom teeth came out, 2 root canals, several crowns and I don't know how many cavities at this point. I also had to have a deep cleaning and now I go in for a cleaning every 3 months to manage that. There is that voice in the back of my mind that wonders if it was all necessary. If I actually need to go in every 3 months. But I find myself reluctant to think about that because I know that... if it wasn't for them I would not be working on my teeth at all. I strongly feel like if I tried to go somewhere else, my anxiety would not be as bad but a lot of my comfort now is tied to my relationship with them.

I know horror stories like what is outlined in this article are nothing new and we have heard things like this before... but I wish this particular industry was better.