The Fearful Dental Patient: A Guide to Understanding and Managing

Edited by Arthur A. Weiner, published by Wiley-Blackwell, December 2010, 308 pp, €48.00

This book helps dental professionals understand the basics of fear, anxiety and phobias and the role these emotions play in creating negative behaviour within the dental environment. The text contains a variety of modalities that help identify dental fear and phobia, as well as chair-side techniques and practical advice aimed at improving patient cooperation and ensuring treatment compliance.

Chapter topics include the basic origins of patient fear and anxiety, how to identify dental anxiety and varied approaches to managing fearful patients of any age. Approaches discussed employ behavioural, pharmacological, sedation and even hypnotic techniques, specifying combinations where required. There are also chapters with coverage of a wide range of patients, including those with psychiatric comorbidities and special healthcare needs. The entire dental team will greatly benefit from the proven methods and practical guidance presented in the book to better
understand and treat fearful dental patients.

The book is written by practicing dentists with vast experience of treating fearful patients. It provides practical advice on how to minimise patients’ anxiety and build the dentist-patient relationship. The variety of management techniques are discussed both individually and in conjunction with other strategies.

Sample questionnaires, which can be downloaded (www.wiley.com/go/weiner) are included for use in practice of the assessment of levels of fear and anxiety.