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Posted by: Ryan_Williams on 02/22/2010 11:17 AM
Updated by: furlong on 02/22/2010 11:18 AM
Expires: 01/01/2015 12:00 AM

Local dentist works on fixing the fear factor

Local dentist Dr. Mario Lemay might have the answers to your cries about visiting the dentist on a regular basis.

By Ryan Williams
theclaw.ca

Some people would rather hear long fingernails scratch a chalkboard than visit the dentist, but Dr. Mario Lemay has an idea to change these unpleasant encounters.

Overcomedentalfear.com is a website he designed to uncover your exact dental fear and assign you a dentist who specializes in that specific phobia.

“Forty percent of the people diagnose themselves with fear of the dentist,” Lemay said. “Which makes them unlikely to go the dentist at all.”

The website offers an in-depth set of questions to determine the factors that make you uncomfortable in the chair.

Lemay received his dental education through the Canadian Armed Forces, then retired and completed a Science degree at Nipissing University where he wrote his Psychology thesis on dental phobia.

“The biggest factor that makes people afraid is not being in control,” Lemay explained.

Even though he is a dentist himself, Lemay does not like climbing onto the 'hotseat' to have his teeth worked on.

“You would put people on their backs, you’re going to get right in their (personal) bubble, you’re not going to let them see what you are doing, and - oh - there is a chance of pain,” he laughed relating being an evil scientist to his profession. “Wait - oh yeah, you're at the dentist,” he added, laughing.

Even being able to see what kind of work he is doing in your mouth and eliminating one part of the problem people have with the dentist, might, in fact, cause even more anxiety.

“Maybe on the basic work it would help,” but he explained the spine-shivering details why most dentists don’t want patients to watch.

“Procedures where we have to cut the gums, drill into the bone, where there is blood on the instruments, isn’t pleasant,” he explained of how observing one's own procedures can make the experience worse.

“Let’s face it, dentist in the old days were rough, and didn’t have good chair-side manners. Some still need to 'brush up' on their manners.”

The doctor describes dental phobia as a scale; starting with anxiety, then fear, then full-blown phobia.

“If you are high anxiety and something bad happens you move into light fear. You can see how the scale works.”

In his own practice Lemay already tries to use his research to help his patients. He allows the patient to be in control.

“If they raise their hand, I will stop and let them collect themselves.”

Lemay also uses humor to help his patients feel more comfortable and puts a spin on trying to talk with your mouth full.

“Oh you are making me a cake,” joked Lemay about patients talking with their mouth full of instruments. “They say it’s going to be a vanilla cake,” he laughed describing mumbling patients.

Lemay said he just wants people to not be afraid to visit their dentist because oral health is critically important for people to maintain.

“Having a good smile doesn’t just help their overall look; it helps their confidence.”