New Media Technologies in the Office May Lessen Fears of Visiting the Dentist

The digital age is upon us, and new technologies are making their way into every crevice of the professional world. Though the prototypical example may be a businessman with a Bluetooth in his ear and an iPhone in his hands, new media devices are also entering the medical field, and can now be spotted in the often dreaded dentists office. The reasons for the common dislike of the dentist range from anxiety to phobia. Fortunately for some, these new devices being utilized by practitioners may be able to reduce the effects.

Dental apprehension affects millions of people and ranges from anxiety to phobia

If you yourself do not dread the dentist, you may be surprised to learn that between 9 and 15 percent of Americans state they avoid going to the dentist due to anxiety and fear. In fact, statistics show that roughly 45 percent of adults do not visit the dentist unless driven by severe pain. It is explained in “The Psychodynamicsof Dental Anxiety and Dental Phobia,” a research study performed by three dentists, that apprehension of the dentist can be broken down into three categories, being dental anxiety, fear, and phobia.       

Dental anxiety is the least severe and most common, usually consisting of uneasiness and intense apprehension. This may be identified by clenched jaws, rigid back, and other common skeletal tensions. The key to understanding dental anxiety is to know that it is involuntary, and the patient may not realize the physical reactions they are having. It does not affect the dental process or interrupt standard procedure.
 
Dental fear is slightly more severe. It is a conscious reaction to a known danger, and can inhibit the procedure being performed. It is more difficult for a dentist to work on a patient with fear, as they may have a tendency to make sudden movements, or frequently question what is being done.The diagram on the left displays the common results of a patient that has dental fear, being delayed visits, more dental problems, and symptom-driven treatment.

Those with dental phobias are the most seriously affected, and are referred to as having odontophobia. These people will go out of their way to avoid going to the dentist, and feel intense anxiety just speaking about it. While being performed on, they may become hysterical and neurotic. Dentists may struggle or refuse to work on phobic patients, and it is estimated that between nine and fifteen percent of Americans are odontophobics, in addition to twenty percent worldwide.These patients are often aware of how unreasonable their fear may be, but are phobic nonetheless.  Oral problems often have to become unbearable for the phobic to seek help. 

 The root cause of dental apprehension cannot be defined, but speculations prove to be consistent

If you were to poll people and ask why they dislike or fear the dentist, there are several answers that will frequent the results. The drill; not many people enjoy the screeching of a drill as it scrapes a tooth or invades a nerve-sensitive area. The mask; there is something eerie about the dentist behind the mask, calmly directing you to open your mouth further or turn your head. The invasive nature; personal space is not respected as the dentist pokes around inside the mouth. The list goes on and on. Though the exact cause of dental anxiety and fear cannot be pinpointed, it is these common themes that leave patients avoiding and dreading theirs visits. 

The graphic on the right displays the results of a study done by the Academy of General Dentistry, and most most importantly shows that 30% of men don't visit the dentist because they are afraid or embarrassed.This further supports how serious of a factor dental apprehension is in avoidance of the dentist. Fun fact; more men avoid the dentists than women, for some reason or another.

Though all signs point towards an inevitable dislike of the dentist, there is a bright side to all of this. Dentists are constantly striving to find ways to make patients more comfortable. Ranging from allowing patient to listen to headphones to sedation dentistry, patients are ideally made to be as relaxed as possible. Not only is it easier to work on a patient who is calm and cooperative, but an overall better dental experience means more business and repeat customers.

 

New media technologies are changing the typical dental experience

The most significant change in dentistry over the years has been technology, and the recent boom in video and audio devices has made its way into the office. In an interview with Anixa Criss, a Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) of 20 years and graduate of UMDNJ, I ask what new technologies are being used where she works. Criss speaks of the use of intra-oral cameras as well as video, and emphasizes the concept of patient education.





While pre-recorded videos have been around for a while, cameras of the past struggled to emit light in the dark cavern of the mouth, and photo quality was very low. These cameras were often connected to bulky rolling computer setups and were relatively inconvenient. Today’s intra-oral cameras are of the digital nature, hooking up to a screen via a simple USB hookup. Take a tour of the latest technology in intra-oral cameras by following the directions on the site. The photos taken by these devices are of great quality and easily saved within patient records that have also gone digital, which you can check out an example of here. The monitor behind Criss in the interview is also displaying the new digital record keeping. 

Digital record keeping is groundbreaking for the typical practice, as no longer are shelves and shelves of filed papers necessary for keeping track of patient history. The ability to snap photos of the patients teeth, crowns, fillings, and anything else, and add them to the digital record of that person, is unbelievably convenient. This short video displays both the camera and digital charting advances that are so quickly changing dentistry.

Above is an example of groundbreaking digital record keeping and charting that is finding its way into dentistry practices. Patient name, information, progress notes, and 3D tooth imaging are the key aspects of digital charting.

We know just how useful these new technologies are for the dentist, but what they do for the patient is just as significant.  Intra-oral cameras now perform video, and when directly hooked up to a monitor can display live visuals of the inside of the mouth. Dentists are using this to show patients exactly what certain problems are, and what certain procedures will do. Before and after pictures have become key is achieving customer satisfaction.  In essence, these new media technologies provide patient education.  With education comes understanding, and with understanding comes comfort.
           

New media technologies in the office increase patient understanding and may aid in improving opinions of the dentist

As for now, most of the major causes of dental apprehension are here to stay. The drills, smells, and hands in the mouth aren't going anywhere soon. However, it is often said that we fear what we don’t understand, and there is no doubt that a lack of understanding is what leaves many patients anxious and fearful of the dentist. Nobody likes not knowing what is happening in their mouth, and new media technologies such as intra-oral cameras are allowing patients to see what the dentists have seen all along. I interviewed a few everyday people on the street to hear  their feelings about going to the dentist, and how seeing what was happening during their visits could change their opinions.

I first asked Corey if his dentist used any of the mentioned technologies in the office;

listen to ‘Corey interview’ on Audioboo

I later asked Marc if new media technologies in the office may make him feel more comfortable;

listen to ‘ Marc opinion photo/video’ on Audioboo

All in all, dentistry will still fall into the same category as snakes, heights, and the dark when it comes to common phobias among the population. But to eliminate the factor of the unknown for the patient through the use of oral photo, video, and other digital education, is a step in the right direction for changing the ever so common dislike of visiting the dentist.