By now, all of us agree that Dentophobia is real. We talked a bit about a few recurrent themes of what constitutes this deadly fear. You can read more about it here: (Why are we scared of Dentists?)
We also talked about how our bad dental experiences just add more fuel to the fire. If you missed out on that blog, you can read it here: (The burden of Bad Dental Experiences)
Another critical factor is that we often have a notion dentists may be cheating us. You have mild pain in your tooth. You visit a dentist hoping to get a tablet to reduce the pain. The dentist examines and wonders if there is a deeper infection. You are asked to get an X-ray, and your alarm bell starts ringing. In no time, you are being suggested an extraction or a root canal. You are told about the estimated cost. You were expecting a magic pill, and instead, you got surgery planned!
No wonder you think your dentist is cheating on you.
Your fear is natural, it is a human tendency. How difficult do we find trusting strangers anyway? But is the cost of the treatment the only factor behind this, seemingly irrational fear? Or are there any other factors which we have completely ignored, as usual?
Let’s explore.
The bottom line is: Not all dentists want to cheat you. We, dentists, do know what is it like to be a patient. We do understand the hesitancy to trust your dentist. But, If you got a free dental consultation, free treatment planned by dentists, free oral health scan, know the types of materials going to used, know exactly in detail about the treatment plans well in advance, talk freely to the dentist about your concerns, would you now trust your dentist?
Highlights: