Do You Have Dental Anxiety? Kearny New Jersey Dentist Has Ways to Overcome Fear

KEARNY, NJ--(Marketwired - Oct 17, 2013) - Dr. Harry J. Harcsztark, a New Jersey dentist, knows that the longer people wait to see the dentist, the worse their conditions may become. The majority of Americans do not schedule routine office visits with a dentist, and one of the primary reasons for their avoidance is fear. At The Smile and Implant Center, Dr. Harcsztark says he and his team work to create an environment that is relaxed and inviting, while also providing the most modern methods of sedation dentistry available.

In a recent blog post titled "Handling Patient Fears: Dr. Harcsztark Weighs Benefits Of Patient Psychology Vs. Sedation," Dr. Harcsztark makes a surprising assertion: "Dentistry is 90% psychology." He notes that he begins his approach to patient fear not with medicinal sedation methods, but by simply speaking with the patient. Through a series of questions, Dr. Harcsztark strives to understand what is causing the patient to fear dental work in the first place so that he can avoid repeating the patient's previous experience. He asks questions such as:

• Is there some particular aspect of visiting the dentist that the patient fears?
• Has the patient had a previous dental visit that caused anxiety?
• How might the patient's dental history inform current fears/anxieties?

"If a dentist is honest, kind, and doesn't cause patients pain, the patients will have faith in the dentist's abilities," says Dr. Harcsztark. He goes on to state that the staff members of a dental office can also significantly reduce patient anxiety, noting that most patients interact with two to three staff members before they even sit in his chair. Dr. Harcsztark says, by creating an office environment that is calm, professional, and free of stress, patients are primed to be more relaxed by the time they actually sit for their dental work. The Smile and Implant Center also provides patients with headphones for music or televisions to take fear off the mind of the patient.

However, Dr. Harcsztark says sedation dentistry is an important component for ensuring patients do not undergo unnecessary anxiety or pain. He uses three methods at his practice: nitrous oxide (otherwise known as laughing gas), a sedation pill that functions as a type of hypnotic, and standard sedation administered through an IV by an anesthesiologist. Many years ago, there was only one option to numb patients -- a local anesthetic called Novocain -- and it did not work on everyone. Now there are many more options and, with such a wide variety of techniques available, Dr. Harcsztark says the right combination of sedatives will numb about 99% of patients.

While these methods of sedation certainly help patients with high levels of fear and anxiety, Dr. Harcsztark's focus at The Smile and Implant Center is to provide his Kearny dentistry patients with an atmosphere that fosters trust. "The truth is that the personality of the dentist and the staff matter the most," says Dr. Harcsztark. "If the patient trusts us, we can accomplish what we need to do."

About Harry J. Harcsztark, DDS, FAGD, FICOI

Dr. Harry Harcsztark earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the New York University College of Dentistry before serving as a dentist in the U.S. Navy. He has also completed a course in implantology at Brookdale Hospital and Medical Center and is a founder in the group that formed the American Academy of Facial Cosmetics. In addition, Dr. Harcsztark has been actively participating in humanitarian missions around the world for the past five years. He is available for interview upon request.

This practice can be reached online at thesmileandimplantcenter.com or facebook.com/pages/The-Smile-and-Implant-Center/347072945383642

To view the original source of the press release, click here: http://www.thesmileandimplantcenter.com/sedation-dentistry/do-you-have-dental-anxiety-kearny-new-jersey-dentist-has-ways-to-overcome-fear/