New Research Suggests Phobic Dental Patients Benefit from CBT

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New research carried out by a team at King’s College London suggests that people who suffer from dental phobia could benefit from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

CBT is a form of talking therapy that helps people find effective ways of coping with situations that make them feel anxious.

Researchers analysed the effect of CBT on a group of 130 patients who suffered with dental phobia. Following a course of CBT, three-quarters of patients were able to undergo dental treatment without sedation.

Professor Tim Newton is the leading author of the study, which has been published in the British Dental Journal. He said that while sedation can enable patients to undergo treatment, it doesn’t actually cure the fear. This study shows that people who have CBT are able to have treatment without sedation, indicating that they feel more comfortable going to the dentist after treatment.

Professor Newton and his team analysed results from a group of 99 female and 31 male patients who attended a CBT course at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. The group was made of people with generalised dental phobia as well as those with a specific fear related to an aspect of dentistry, e.g. phobia of injections.

After CBT treatment, 79 percent of patients were able to undergo dental treatment without sedation. On average, the participants had 5 CBT sessions.

Ben Atkins, a dentist from Manchester, said he feels like he’s failed when referring a patient for treatment under sedation. He believes that effective communication combined with modern technology holds the key to making patients feel safe and secure.

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