Understanding common fears to tailor your approach
Knowledge about fear patterns allows clinicians to move from a generic approach to more targeted strategies.
Dental anxiety is rarely about one single thing. Most patients experience a combination of fears, often overlapping and reinforcing each other. These may include fear of pain, injections, gagging, loss of control, being judged, sensory sensitivity (sounds, smells, positioning), or simply the unknown.
Importantly, many patients are not fully aware of what they are afraid of. They may present as “nervous,” avoidant, or disengaged, without being able to clearly articulate why. This is why taking time to identify and understand specific fears is such an important first step.
Taking time to identify and understand specific fears can save overall appointment time by allowing the clinician to build trust
Each fear has different drivers, and importantly, different solutions. For example:
Fear of pain may respond to improved anaesthesia techniques
Fear of control may be reduced through stop signals and pacing
Sensory fears may be managed through environmental adjustments
Fear of the unknown may be addressed through communication and 'Tell–Show–Do'
Understanding these patterns allows clinicians to move from a generic approach to a more targeted, patient-centred strategy.
To explore these in more detail, visit our “Common Fears” section, and for practical strategies, see “What Can Help”.
Written by Dr Trent Davidson and Dr Helen Fisher from Mindset Dental in Brisbane, Australia 2026