Dental Care For Anxious Patients
Dentistry At Your Pace
If the dentist makes you anxious, you are far from alone. Dr Tajel Patel takes her time, explains each step, and works at a pace you are comfortable with.
About The Treatment
You Set The Pace, Every Time
Dental anxiety is common and nothing to apologise for. What changes it is being listened to, knowing what happens next, and understanding you can stop at any point.
Not Been To A Dentist In Years?
That is more common than you think, and it is never met with judgement here.
Book A Gentle First VisitA visit to the dentist can be anxiety-inducing for some patients. Dr Tajel's goal is that you feel relaxed and at ease while receiving treatment, taking the time to explain each step of the process so that you feel comfortable and confident.
Nothing Happens Unannounced
Each step is explained before it begins, so there are no surprises in the chair.
You Can Stop At Any Point
Agree a signal at the start. Raise your hand and everything pauses, no explanation needed.
A First Visit Can Be Just Talking
If you would rather nothing was done on day one, that is a perfectly reasonable place to start.
Meet Dr Tajel
Care That Starts By Listening
Dr Tajel Patel is a restorative and cosmetic dentist. Patients describe her manner as calm and gentle, and several have said they no longer dread appointments. That is not a technique so much as a way of working.
BDS BEng MJDF (Eng) · GDC No. 264285
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01
Tell Her What Worries You
Whether it is the sound, the needle, or a past experience, say so. It changes how she works.
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02
Look Only When You Are Ready
An examination happens when you are comfortable, not because the appointment says so.
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03
Decide What Happens Next
You will be told what she found and what the options are. The choice stays yours.
You Are Not The Only One
What Puts You Off Going?
Dental anxiety takes different forms. Naming yours is the first step, because it changes how an appointment is planned and how much control you keep over it.
You do not need the right words for it. Saying "I find this hard" is enough to change how the visit goes.
Book A Gentle First VisitA Bad Experience Years Ago
One difficult appointment can shape how you feel about every one since.
Worry About Being Judged
If it has been years, you will not be lectured about it. That is not how she works.
Not Knowing What Comes Next
Much of the fear is uncertainty, which is why every step gets explained first.
Before You Decide
Start With What Matters To You
The questions anxious patients ask most, answered plainly.
Most Asked What If I Panic In The Chair?
Then everything stops. Agree a signal before you begin, usually raising a hand, and treatment pauses immediately. You do not need to explain yourself or apologise, and you can take as long as you need before deciding whether to continue.
Read Jo P's experienceJudgement It Has Been Years. Will I Be Told Off?
No. People avoid the dentist for all sorts of reasons, and anxiety is one of the most common. The point of the visit is to work out where things stand now and what you would like to do about it, not to review the past.
Treatment Choice Can I Just Talk First Without Treatment?
Yes, and for many anxious patients that is the sensible way to start. A first appointment can be a conversation about what worries you and what you would like to happen, with nothing carried out until you are ready.
Children My Child Is Frightened. Can She Help?
Dr Tajel especially enjoys working with children and uses a range of calming techniques to help them feel comfortable. Her approach is gentle and educational, aimed at setting up a lifetime of good habits rather than getting through one appointment.
Your First Visit What Actually Happens At A First Visit?
You talk first. If and when you are comfortable, she will look at your teeth and gums, explaining what she is doing as she goes. Then you discuss what she found and decide together what happens next, if anything.
Not Sure Which Question Applies?
Start With A Conversation
You do not need to commit to anything. Book a first visit, say what worries you, and take it from there at whatever pace suits you.
Book A Gentle First VisitWhen You Feel Ready
There Is No Rush
Book a first visit with Dr Tajel whenever you are ready. Tell her what you find hard, and she will work around it.
Dr Tajel Patel · BDS BEng MJDF (Eng) · GDC No. 264285