Dogs aren’t known as man’s best friend for no reason.

 

Dogs are ever so cute and cuddly, instinctive and incredibly intelligent. They also make the perfect chair side comparison! These four-legged friends make going to the dentist much more enjoyable, particularly for phobic patients.

 

Paws for Stress.

In recent years, dogs have beentaken into universities to visit students during exam time, into busy workplaces and into hospitals to visit poorly patients. Hailed ‘Therapets’, these dogs help us to feel at ease and less anxious. It’s becoming more common to see Dogs in the dental practice, helping phobic patients feel relaxed before, during and after treatment.

 

Phobic Patients can Benefit from Canine Cuddles!

Patients suffering from dental phobia put off treatment due to anxiety, which can further aggravate existing dental conditions. The longer pain and discomfort are left untreated, the more likely additional problems are to arise. Dogs are helping to combat patient phobia by sitting in on appointments.

Not only are they adorable, Therapet dogs are highly trained. The dogs are extremely calm and approachable. Even those who are not too fond of dogs are often seen to enjoy their company when they are feeling stressed and or upset.

These dental dogs are happy to sit with the patient as both the dog and patient offer each other mutual comfort. Some patients just prefer to have the dog in the room rather than sitting beside them.

Of course, not everyone would want puppies in their appointment room and that’s fine! It is very much up to the patient to decide whether they want to have a practice dog in the room during treatment.

 

What do you think about Therapets?

What do you think about Therapets? Is this something you’d like to see introduced into your practice? Or maybe you’ve already had an experience with a dental practice dog – let us know how it was in the comments below!

 

Finding a dentist if you’re a phobic patient.

If you have dental phobia and have been avoiding the dentist, we can help you. On our website, we have thousands of dental practices listed, many of them specialising in treating phobic patients. These practices put your phobia first and help you tackle it. To find one in your area, simply click here and search your location. Then, from the checklist on the left, select ‘dental anxiety’ or ‘dental phobia’. Browse the practices in your area and pick the one that suits you most. The smile you want is easy with Defacto Dentists.