Boise Dentist Blog

Dr. Dan Bruce - January 2, 2014

News and Announcements

Our office is growing and we are happy to welcome another team member!

Shannon is our new receptionist at the Ustick office. Shannon grew up in Reno, NV and recently moved to Boise from Seattle. She and her husband, Barry, have been married for ten years and have three children. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and reading.

Fall Food Drive

This past November, the office held its first annual food drive benefitting the Idaho Food Bank. Dr. Bruce, Dr. Ririe, and Dr. Dan enjoy living and working in the Treasure Valley and feel it is important to give back to the community. The office donated non-perishable food items for each new patient seen during the month and each new like on our Facebook page. Staff and patients were also encouraged to bring in food. Donations totaled over 220 pounds of food and were delivered to the Food Bank the day before Thanksgiving. We are already looking forward to making next year’s food drive even bigger!

Cavity Free Kid’s Club

The office has started a Cavity Free Kid’s Club to encourage our young patients to take good care of their teeth! Children 14 and younger are eligible to enter each time they have a cleaning and exam with no cavities. One winner is picked from the drawing each month. Each winner receives two movie tickets and a spin brush! Please talk to your dental hygienist or dentist if you have any questions.

Dental Phobia

Most people experience some degree of anxiety or fear at the prospect of going to the dentist, but for some people, the anxiety is so great that they don't obtain the dental care they need. Fear of going to the dentist can range from mild anxiety to extreme phobia, but for those whose fear is so great they avoid dental care, the consequences can be severe.

The reasons for dental fear or anxiety are as varied as the personalities of the people who experience them. There are many causes, ranging from a general "fear of the dentist," to fear of dental procedures, low tolerance/fear of pain, embarrassment over the condition of teeth, fear of loss of control or being pinned down, even a concern over a heightened gag reflex. Also, for a person who is a survivor of abuse, the dental situation can trigger disturbing memories.

The good news is that dental fear can be overcome. Fear is a learned behavior, and therefore, can be unlearned. For those patients who suffer from a phobia (an extreme fear), professional help may be required, but for those who suffer from mild to medium anxiety, a sympathetic and understanding dentist can help.

Our dentists have heard most of the same fears before, from other patients, and are willing to work with an anxious patient and help him/her overcome the fear. Once that first step has been taken, there are a variety of methods and techniques available, including the following:

General Anesthesia (for extreme cases of anxiety) – similar to major surgery, the patient is completely unconscious for the dental procedure. Because of the health risks involved, most dentists are reluctant to recommend this technique unless it is as a last resort.
Intravenous Sedation (for highly anxious patients) – a tranquillizer is administered into the blood stream, causing deep relaxation and frequently leaving only partial memory of the procedure.
Oral Sedation (for highly anxious patients) - an oral sedative is taken by the patient an hour or so before the dental procedure. The drawback with oral sedation is that it is difficult to predict how quickly a patient will respond to the drug and the patient will need to arrange for transportation to and from the appointment.
Inhalation Sedation (for mild anxiety) - combinations of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and oxygen gases are inhaled through a rubber mask. Nitrous oxide is safe and simple to use, and the effects wear off quickly.
Hypnosis - a skilled hypnotist can produce good results, but as with sedatives, different personalities respond in different ways under hypnosis. There may also be difficulty finding an experienced hypnotherapist, and cost may be a factor
Psycotherapy (for severe anxiety) - therapy is a common method of dealing with many phobias and other anxiety related disorders. While effective, the time and cost involved may be extreme.
Support - simply finding a friend or family member who is willing to go with you to your dental appointment and sit with you may make your anxiousness easier to tolerate.


If you would like help managing your dental phobia, please talk to your dentist about the different options! We want everyone to feel comfortable and confident coming to our office.