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Step 1
Get frequent checkups. Most people only go to the dentist when it hurts. If you do that, you begin to create a correlation between the dentist and pain. It's unimportant that the dentist is the one who makes the pain go away. Once the association is made, it's hard to break. The truth is, however, that if you see the dentist preventatively, it's less likely that you will feel the pain that creates a negative correlation--and more important, most dentist visits will be painless.
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Step 2
Brush, floss and rinse. Good oral hygeine includes flossing, brushing and regualr use of mouthwash. If you brush only, then you miss about 30 percent of the reachable surface area of your teeth. That's why flossing is so important. Very simply, along the lines of having regular checkups, keeping your hygiene in check means fewer dental appointments that require painful procedures.
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Step 3
Demand that the dentist tell you exactly what he's doing, why he's doing it, when he's doing it, how he's doing it and why it's the best of the possible options. Learn the repercussions of failing to have the suggested procedures done. Knowledge is power, and it's hard to feel fear when you are the one in charge. It's your mouth. If you don't ask the questions, no one will.
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Step 4
Tell the dentist what makes you nervous. He will want to know so he can explain to you what exactly he will be doing. Dentists have a high rate of suicide, likely because people come to them in distress and yet they don't really ever want to see them.
