Dental anxiety is far more common than most patients realise. Research suggests that up to 36% of the population experience some level of dental fear — and around 12% experience extreme anxiety. If that is you, you are absolutely not alone.
At Park Royal Dental Clinic, we see anxious patients regularly. The most important thing you can do is tell us.
Why telling your dentist matters
When we know you are anxious, we can change how we work. We slow down, explain every step before we do it, check in with you more frequently, and adjust our approach based on your feedback. An appointment that might feel overwhelming in silence becomes manageable when we are working together.
How to bring it up
You do not need to have the perfect words. Simply saying "I get quite anxious at the dentist" or "I'm a bit nervous about this" is completely sufficient. You can tell us when you book, when you arrive at reception, or when Dr Zahra or Dr Mariam introduces themselves.
There is no judgement. We have heard it before and we take it seriously.
What we can do to help
- Agree a signal — raise your hand at any point and we stop immediately, no questions asked.
- Explain everything — we will describe what we are doing before we do it.
- Take breaks — appointments can be structured to include breaks when you need them.
- Work at your pace — we never rush anxious patients.
- Distraction — music, a television screen, or just conversation if that helps.
The biggest mistake anxious patients make
Avoiding the dentist entirely. We completely understand the impulse — but avoiding treatment almost always means problems get worse, which makes future appointments harder and more involved. A small issue caught early is almost always a quick, straightforward fix.
If anxiety has kept you away from the dentist for a long time, we would love to welcome you back. Book a consultation — no treatment on the first visit if you prefer. Just a conversation.