Blog Post

Top 3 most common dental fears

Dr Gordon Tam • Aug 14, 2020

We understand what is hold you back from going to a dental visit. We are here to assure you that there is little to fear of when you have a better understanding of what we do. 

What are you afraid of to see a dentist?


We want to understand more about what are the most common dental fears among you and me. In order to address these fears, we must first know what they are. 



  • Fear of the Unknown
  • Fear of Pain
  • Bill Shock


We commonly hear from our patients these few fears that are holding them back from making a dental appointment or even to cancel one at the last minute!

Fear of the Unknown


This is one of the biggest, most common and dreadful fears that anyone can have. When we do not know what lies at the end of the road, you are reluctant to move even an inch forward. Students who are ill-prepared are dreadful of exams. Toddlers who have not tried a new food may think twice before trying. The lesser knowledge about something, the less adventurous and confidence you will have. You will be more sceptical to try out new things, food and experiences. 


We want to eliminate your (dental) fear for the unknown once and for all! 


During your first appointment and even subsequent appointments whenever you have any questions, we make sure your concerns are heard. We reserve sufficient time to listen to your concerns and your expectations. 


In this way, we establish connections and improve communication between each other. You get to understand how we conduct our oral examination, so that we can detect any dental issues and raise these concerns with you. We like to call it ‘you see what we see’. Through the intraoral camera that we used to take images of your individual tooth and tooth surfaces. You will get to go for an exploration inside your mouth which you may never seen so closely and clearly before.

Fear of Pain


Of course everyone is afraid of pain and everyone has a different threshold for pain. We want to reassure you that we try our best to minimise ‘pain’ that you may experience during the treatments. There are multiple ways we want to address that.

  • Topical anesthetic gel 
  • Warmed anesthetic cartridges to 42 degrees celsius has clinically proven to reduce the ‘impact’ of pain that you may experience when the jab is administered
  • Option of sedation for complexed treatments and nervous patients


With a better understanding of your dental treatments, we can better plan these treatments around your schedule. You will not be caught having a numbed lip for an important function in the evening!

Bill Shock


After mustering your courage to go for the dental appointment, the last thing you want is to have a bill shock after the treatment. In our clinic, you will not have any bill shock. 


After the thorough examination during your appointment with us, our doctor will share with you any dental issues to take note of. A customised treatment plan with treatment options, fees and time required for the treatments are clearly written for you to consider. We will only proceed with your approval. 


You will clearly know what treatment we are having for your next appointment. Not only that, you can plan your schedule and your budget well beforehand. 


Are you feeling better after reading this? If you need more assurance, schedule an appointment with us now! You get to understand more in detail. The more you understand, the less (dental) fear you will have.


For more information and consultation, please contact Smile Design Dental Practice at +65 6463 8588.


To serve you better, we are available by Appointment Only. 

Please contact us to schedule for an appointment.

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