If going to the dentist fills you with dread, you’re in much better company than you might think. Dental anxiety affects roughly one in six Australian adults — and research suggests the real number is higher, because many people simply avoid going and never show up in the statistics at all.
If that’s you, this post is for you.
You’re not alone, and there’s nothing to be embarrassed about
Dental anxiety isn’t a character flaw or an overreaction. It’s a genuine and very common response that can range from mild nervousness before appointments to significant fear that leads people to avoid dental care altogether — sometimes for years.
At Smile Spot Mawson Lakes, we see nervous patients regularly. Some come in after a long gap and feel embarrassed about the state of their teeth. Some had a difficult experience at the dentist as a child and have avoided it ever since. Some simply can’t identify where the fear comes from — it’s just there. All of that is fine. We’ve heard it before, and we don’t judge.
This is a practice built to serve a busy, diverse community. We’re at 1/3 Coventry Street, right here in Mawson Lakes, and we understand what the people who live and work around here are actually dealing with. A lot of them are managing dental anxiety quietly, and we’d rather talk about it openly.
What makes people nervous at the dentist?
Understanding what drives dental anxiety can help, even if it doesn’t make it disappear.
Past negative experiences. A painful or distressing dental experience — especially in childhood — can leave a lasting impression. The association between the dental chair and discomfort gets stored and replayed every time an appointment comes around.
Fear of pain. This is the most common concern. Most dental anxiety boils down to “what if it hurts?” — especially for people who’ve experienced pain at the dentist before.
Feeling out of control. Lying back in a chair with someone working in your mouth, unable to see what’s happening, is an inherently vulnerable position. For some people, that loss of control is the hardest part, not the treatment itself.
Embarrassment about their teeth. People who’ve avoided the dentist for a long time often feel ashamed and worry about being lectured. That shame can become its own barrier — which makes things worse over time.
Language barriers making everything harder. In a community where more than 42% of residents were born overseas, this one matters more than it might at a practice elsewhere. If you’re not fully comfortable in English, trying to explain “I’m really scared” or “that’s actually hurting” in a language that isn’t your first is genuinely difficult. And when you can’t communicate exactly what you’re feeling, anxiety tends to fill the gap. More on this below.
The sounds and smells. The drill, the suction, the smell of the practice — these sensory cues can trigger anxiety even before anything has happened. They’re powerful reminders that bypass conscious thought entirely.
How we approach nervous patients at Smile Spot
We don’t have a script for nervous patients. What we do instead is adapt to the person in front of us.
We explain before we start. Surprises are a significant source of anxiety in the dental chair. We walk through what we’re about to do, in plain language, before we do it — so nothing comes out of nowhere.
We use a stop signal. Before treatment begins, we agree on a signal — usually raising your hand — that means “stop immediately, I need a moment.” No questions, no hesitation. We pause. You stay in control. Knowing that you can stop at any time changes the dynamic significantly.
We go at your pace. If completing a check-up takes two shorter appointments instead of one, that’s fine. If you’d like to sit in the chair for a few minutes before we start just to settle, we can do that. There’s no pressure to move faster than you’re ready for.
We don’t lecture. If you haven’t been to the dentist in five years — or ten — we’re not interested in making you feel bad about it. What matters is that you’re here now. We’d rather understand where things are at and work out a plan to move forward.
We listen before we start. If you tell reception you’re nervous when you book, that information gets passed on to the treating dentist before you even sit down. It shapes how the whole appointment unfolds, not just one part of it.
A multilingual team — and why that genuinely matters for anxious patients
Mawson Lakes and the surrounding suburbs — Parafield Gardens, Paralowie, Pooraka, Ingle Farm, Para Hills, Salisbury — are home to a lot of families who speak languages other than English at home. Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Punjabi are among the most common in this catchment.
Our team reflects that community. I (Dr Alissa Kim) speak Korean. Dr Louise Chen speaks Mandarin. Dr Sunny speaks Punjabi. When a patient can explain their fears in their own language — fully, not just approximately — the whole experience changes. There’s a meaningful difference between nodding along because you feel like you should understand and actually feeling understood. For patients who’ve avoided dental care partly because they couldn’t communicate what they needed, having a dentist who speaks your language can be the thing that gets you back through the door.
If you or someone in your family would be more comfortable consulting in Korean, Mandarin, or Punjabi, please mention it when you call or book online — we’ll match you with the right dentist.
Dr Alissa Kim and nervous kids
Children’s dental anxiety is real, and it’s often learned. When a parent is anxious about the dentist, kids pick up on it — sometimes before anyone says a word. My focus at Smile Spot includes family and children’s dentistry, and I’m used to working with little ones who aren’t sure what to expect. For families coming in from Para Hills, Ingle Farm, or Parafield Gardens — dropping kids at school before heading to an appointment — knowing that the same dentist who looks after you can also look after your children in a calm, unhurried way makes a genuine difference to the whole family’s relationship with dental care.
Practical things that can help
Beyond how we work, there are some things you can do that many nervous patients find useful.
Tell us when you book. If you mention at booking that you’re anxious, we can allow extra time. Feeling rushed makes anxiety worse. A longer appointment means things can unfold at a more comfortable pace.
Bring headphones. Listening to music, a podcast, or an audiobook during the appointment can significantly reduce the experience of being in the chair. Having something familiar in your ears is grounding, even if you can’t catch every word.
Give yourself something to look forward to afterward. Planning something enjoyable after the appointment shifts the mental framing. The dentist visit becomes something you’re getting through, not an endpoint. There’s plenty around The Promenade in Mawson Lakes to reward yourself with once you’re done.
Bring someone with you. Having a support person in the practice — even just in the waiting room — can be reassuring. They can come in during the appointment too, if that helps.
Consider a Friday morning appointment. Many people find a morning appointment reduces the buildup of dread. We’re open Fridays from 9am to 2pm, which suits people who have Fridays off or work part-time. A Friday morning appointment is also a natural start to the weekend — something to look forward to right after.
Evening appointments — built around your schedule
One thing we hear from nervous patients is that daytime appointments add another layer of stress. If you’re commuting into the city from Mawson Interchange on the Gawler line, a lunchtime appointment means a broken-up workday and the whole morning spent thinking about it. That anxiety buildup is real, and it’s a barrier.
We’re open Monday to Thursday until 7pm. For people who work full-time — whether that’s defence personnel at Edinburgh RAAF catching up on health checks after a busy deployment period, or students at the UniSA Mawson Lakes campus squeezing appointments around a packed semester — an after-work booking on Main North Road or Salisbury Highway is easy to get to without rearranging your day. That alone reduces the dread significantly. The appointment doesn’t loom over the whole workday; it’s just where you’re headed at the end of it.
A note on gaps in treatment
If you haven’t been to the dentist in a while — whether it’s two years or ten — the most important thing is that you’re thinking about coming back. Putting it off longer rarely makes it easier, and dental problems don’t tend to resolve themselves.
When you come in after a gap, we take a thorough look at what’s there, explain what we’re seeing in plain language, and help you prioritise. Some things are genuinely urgent. Others can wait. A phased treatment plan — tackling the most important things first and spreading appointments over time — is often the most manageable approach, and we’re completely comfortable working that way.
For patients with health fund cover, we offer on-the-spot HICAPS claiming. We’re preferred providers with Bupa Members First Platinum, nib, CBHS, and smile.com.au, among others. We’re also QIP accredited, which means our clinical processes are independently assessed against national standards — worth knowing if you’re coming to us for the first time and want some reassurance about the practice itself.
You can learn more about our team and what you can expect at your first dental check-up. Our general dentistry page covers the most common treatments we see day to day. If you’d like to talk through any concerns before booking, you’re welcome to get in touch first — sometimes a five-minute conversation is all it takes.
Book at Smile Spot — call (08) 8258 0650 or book online. We’re open Monday to Thursday until 7pm, and Fridays 9am to 2pm. There’s no judgement here — just a team that will work with you at your pace.