Fear is one of the primary reasons people do not go to the dentist. Before starting dental school, I observed fear in both kids and adults during my two years of internships at Children’s Dental Office and Toluca Lake Dental Office. I was further convinced that children and adults have fear of the dentist when I treated patients, during my time at dental school, at the AYUDA dental clinic and the Children’s Dental Van. As a child, I was also scared to go to the dentist. As an adult, I am still scared. In all of the aforementioned pediatric and adult dental offices, I observed and experienced one thing in common: fear. My past experiences of volunteerism have proved that the dental career requires clinicians who can identify a patient’s fear and know how to help them overcome it.
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Furthermore, the confined space around the patient chair makes one think they are trapped because there is not enough space to move. He or she will have to jump on the chair from the front and be glued to it until the end of the appointment.
When you finally sit, you notice all the objects placed on the countertops near you. There is a spray bottle of EmPower Foam, a sterilizing agent, which the dentist does not need during the appointment. There is a box of clinician gloves and blue and purple masks, which the dentist can put on prior to seeing the patient. Thus explaining the insignificance of placing them so close to the patient, allowing these objects to invade the patient’s personal space and overwhelming them.
Later in the appointment, there will already be many objects such as cotton gauze, instruments, and suction placed in the patients’ mouths; therefore, ensuring the patients the freedom of their own personal space is the least dentists could do for the
Jane may also talk directly to the Dentist and present a case for the required use of over gloves in the office. Jane may discuss concerns about infection control to the dentist and provide a case for extra measures, without implicating Karen as violating infection control
The best description of a dental hygienist is a professional whose main job is to teach their patients necessary oral hygiene skills and provide great dental care. They perform various tasks around a dentist’s office such as applying fluoride treatments, removing plaque and stains, taking x-rays, removing sutures, placing temporary fillings, and evaluating the patient’s overall health (“Dental Hygienist” Coin Career). Dental hygienists do not just work in a dental office, but they also can work at schools, nursing homes, health clinics, and many other dental settings. Close contact is necessary when doing this job. Working with people is an everyday thing in this profession, so one must be able to communicate and get along with their clients very well. Having certain traits such as excellent hand-eye coordination and great motor skills are very important to posses since dental hygienists work on their patients mouths (Porterfield 4). Communication is vital since dental hygienists are constantly teaching patients how to hav...
We all fear pain and it’s a well-known reason for people to avoid seeing the dentist. Most end up having severe periodontal problems leading to loss of teeth. Approximately 4-11% people suffer from dental phobias and avoid seeking dental care at all costs. Many of them end up in emergency situations that require invasive procedures like extraction or pulpotomy, which further reinforces their phobia.
A traumatic swimming incident during my childhood left me visiting many dental chairs where I suffered from an irrational fear of dentists. Every visit started with my fears but ended with my gratitude to these dentists, who had performed complex operations seamlessly. These experiences stemmed an interest in dental biology exploring topics such as root canal treatments; here I realised that a dental career would allow me to both explore human biology further but also actively improve our society’s welfare.
The duties of a dental hygienist can be stressful, they begin by preparing the treatment room for the patient by protocols. Then, they prepare the patient for the dental work by seating the patient and discussing any questions or concerns the patient has for visiting that day. The hygienist then proceeds to sterlizing, sharpening, and arranging the instruments depending on what is needed due to the patient's oral health. The hygienist then detects any diseases by using an oral cancer screening, visually and physically examinging the gums, then uses probesto locate periodontal diseases.This job requires a quality understanding of the body due to the diseases carried ...
Moreover, dentists have to cater to the fears of the public. In today’s society many people have had bad experiences or have heard horror stories about dentists, so they are generally hesitant to get work done on their teeth. In many cases, people are consumed by so much fear at the dentist’s office that the dentist will have to administer an anesthetic and try to calm the patient’s fears.
I can remember being a little boy sitting at the piano in church, listening to the preacher talk of how Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, which symbolizes the idea that we are here to serve. That message profoundly resonated with me throughout life. It was not until I began accompanying my grandmother to her multiple dental visits that I was able to see how I could put this calling of service into action. I saw firsthand the significant positive impact my grandmother’s dentist was able to make in her life, which encouraged me to want to learn about the field of dentistry. I then started researching dental health and learning of the importance of oral healthcare and how it affects the entire body. I then began to learn of how patient access to proper dental care was limited because of several factors such as, financial barriers, transportation, and dental fear, especially in the underserved minority communities. Given the shortage of black dentists, I realized I could make a positive difference by being an inspiration to those in the community, as well as serve in a professional career that would provide needed healthcare to the community. This is when I began to develop such a strong passion for
Dentists are often thought of as people to be feared. Most people try to put off going to the dentist until their teeth hurt so much that they have no choice but to visit the feared dental office. Waiting for pain in the mouth or gums before visiting a dentist is one of the worst things a person can do. Paul J. Flaer, et al. observes, “Fear in approaching the dental visit may be generated by psychosocial factors such as history of bad experience(s) at the dentist and by the effect of poor representations of dental treatment in the media” (104). If more people could get over their dentophobia they might have better oral health and probably better overall health.
I decided to do my research report on dentistry because it is a perfect blend of science and art. It is a science in that you must fully comprehend on the different types of diagnostic and procedures you are doing. It is an art in that you are constantly working with your hands to create a beautiful smile. The impact you make on helping a person achieve an impeccable smile is not one to compare with materialistic things like money or cars. People often mistake dentist as only doing practices when in fact they could do more, like research. I was fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to interview Dr. Sarah Pham, DDS, a close family friend who practices dentistry in her own private office in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Pham was
I took a seat in the lobby of my dentist’s office as I waited to be called. I was as stiff as a board when it came to any matter regarding my teeth. I never had a good record when it came to dentist visits so needless to say I was petrified about my upcoming appointment today. Up until I got my first crown, I was very care free with my teeth. On my last dentist visit however I was told I needed to get a tooth pulled. The thoughts of this conjured up images of a torture chamber and all the hurtful tools which would be used.
All practicing dentists, dental associates, and laboratories follow standard precautions and recommendations specified by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The standard precautions, previously known as the universal standard precautions, focus on the perception that all blood and bodily fluids, regardless if they contain blood, such as saliva, may be contaminated and should be considered infectious. (Bebermeyer). The infection control methods that are practiced in dental offices were established by the CDC in 2003 with Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Healthcare Settings (Kohn). These guidelines include the use of protective barriers, personal protective w...
AS a dentist one should be strongly determined to devote selflessly for the betterment of mankind .Patient usuall...
The first dental visit will be a successful one with proper preparation and by taking special care on the day of the
I turn around to look for the chairs and saw the west wall covered with old cracked wallpaper plastered with flowers. I glance behind me and see the receptionist desk once again, and the bulletin board on the wall next to it with dentist jokes and advertisements all over it. The receptionist smiles at me again and I turn back around. I see that the North and South walls are covered with old wood paneling. One wall has the door in which I just entered, and the other has the dark tunnel leading to the exam rooms. I spot the chairs just across the waiting room on both walls. I quickly choose the end one with green and orange flowers covering it and sit down.
If the aim is achieved, residents will be provided with optimal denture care including correct cleaning and storage handling, this will improve the quality of oral health for denture