NERVOUS PATIENTS At Altmore dental care we understand that dental phobia is commonplace. Many of our patients attend for the first time with histories of bad experiences in the dental chair; dentists who failed to listen or understand their concerns and needs. We pride ourselves on our teams ability to address and hopefully build confidences in the dental team and environment. Our new, state of the art consulting suite has been set up to allow discussion with members of our dental team to be carried out away from the surgery environment. A fully computerised imaging system exists to allow discussion and photographic visualisation of procedures before they take place. This gives patients the choice and information they need before entering the dental surgery. Our surgery layouts are designed to be as relaxing as possible. Patient care is augmented by providing both audio and visual accompaniment to all procedures. Patients can choose from a huge catalogue of different music all of course played through cordless headphones. Televisions mounted in the ceilings allow us to play satellite television programmers or DVD films during procedures. A fully air conditioned clinical environment allows the maintenance of a constant temperature throughout the practice. Filtered extraction units remove the dental smells that can be so off putting while scented room fragrances by Jo Malone and Molton Brown lend to the relaxing ambience. For those patients that still find it too difficult to undergo treatment in a dental environment our dental team are more than able to discuss options for all forms of dental work using various sedation methods. Both oral and intravenous sedation methods can be arranged. By using a caring, understanding team as a bedrock for addressing dental phobias coupled with the above strategies we are sure that we can help even the most nervous patients overcome their concerns.