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Artisan Dentistry's Blog

Trauma-Informed Dentistry: A Compassionate Approach at Our Salem Dentist Office

Jun 19th, 2024

At our dental office in Salem, NH, we believe that every patient deserves compassionate and personalized care. This is especially true for individuals who have experienced some sort of trauma that makes dental visits uncomfortable or triggering. Trauma-informed dentistry is a practice that acknowledges the impact of past traumatic experiences on a patient’s dental health and overall well-being. By creating a safe and supportive environment as well as sedation dentistry, we aim to provide the best possible care for all our patients, particularly those who may have heightened anxiety or fear of dental visits.

dentist and patient holding hands for support

Understanding Trauma-Informed Dentistry

Trauma-informed dentistry involves recognizing and understanding the effects of trauma on a patient’s mental and physical health. Trauma can stem from various sources, such as past dental experiences, medical procedures, accidents, or other distressing events. These experiences can lead to heightened anxiety, fear, and even avoidance of dental care, which can, in turn, negatively impact oral health.

Our Salem dental office’s approach to trauma-informed care is built on three key principles:

  1. Safety: We strive to create a physically and emotionally safe environment for our patients. This includes a welcoming and calming office atmosphere, as well as transparent communication about procedures.
  2. Trustworthiness and Transparency: We build trust through clear, consistent communication before, during, and after the dental appointment and by being open about what patients can expect during their visit.
  3. Collaboration and Mutuality: We work together with our patients, valuing their input and involving them in decisions about their care and empowering them to make informed choices about their care.

Sedation Dentistry: Enhancing Comfort and Reducing Anxiety

For many patients, the thought of dental procedures can trigger significant anxiety or fear, especially for those with a history of trauma. At our Salem office, we offer sedation dentistry as a key component of our trauma-informed care approach. Sedation dentistry helps to ensure that our patients can receive the dental care they need in a comfortable and stress-free manner.

We offer two primary types of sedation:

  1. Oral Conscious Sedation: This form of sedation involves taking a prescribed medication before your dental appointment. Oral conscious sedation allows you to remain awake and responsive while feeling deeply relaxed. It’s an excellent option for patients who experience moderate anxiety or those undergoing longer procedures. You will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment, as the effects of the medication can last for several hours.
  2. IV Sedation: Intravenous (IV) sedation is administered directly into your bloodstream, providing a deeper level of sedation compared to oral conscious sedation. IV sedation induces a state of deep relaxation and partial or complete amnesia for the procedure, making it ideal for patients with severe anxiety or those requiring extensive dental work. Our trained professionals closely monitor your vital signs throughout the procedure to ensure your safety and comfort.

Benefits of Sedation Dentistry

Sedation dentistry offers numerous benefits, particularly for patients with a history of trauma or dental anxiety:

  • Reduced Anxiety: Sedation helps to calm nerves and alleviate the fear associated with dental visits, making the experience more manageable.
  • Comfort and Relaxation: Patients can remain comfortable and relaxed throughout their procedure, with little to no memory of the treatment.
  • Efficiency: With sedation, more complex or multiple procedures can be completed in a single visit, reducing the need for multiple appointments.
  • Pain Management: Sedation helps to manage pain and discomfort, ensuring a more pleasant experience.

Supporting Our Community

We are proud to serve the Salem, NH community and surrounding areas. Our commitment to trauma-informed dentistry is part of our broader mission to support the overall health and well-being of our patients. We understand that dental health is closely linked to overall health, and we are dedicated to providing care that addresses both physical and emotional needs.

If you or someone you know has had traumatic experiences that make dental visits challenging, we invite you to visit our dental office. Our team is here to support you with compassionate, trauma-informed care tailored to your needs. Your comfort and health are our top priorities, and we are committed to helping you achieve a healthy, beautiful smile in a safe and supportive environment.

To learn more about our trauma-informed approach to dentistry or to schedule an appointment, please contact our Salem, NH dental office today. We look forward to welcoming you and providing the care you deserve.

Warranty

Our 5 Year Warranty

Anyone can train to be a technician, but few have the talent to become an artist. That’s why Dr. Mathew is able to guarantee his cosmetic dentistry work for a full 5 years. If anything goes wrong with the work, Dr. Mathew will fix it free of charge, as long as you continue with your regular 6 month preventative care cleaning and check up for the duration of the warranty.

Treatment Room

Individualized
Treatment Rooms

Our individualized treatment rooms and operatories provide patients with maximum privacy and comfort. The treatment rooms were built specifically with your comfort in mind.

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Here at Paul Mathew, D.D.S. we work diligently to protect our patients' privacy. Requesting an appointment via our Internet portal is considered part of what the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has identified as electronically protected healthcare information or ePHI. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, there are people or entities that may attempt to intercept the data you transmit to us. By checking the "I agree" box, and electronically making an appointment request, you acknowledge that you are making an appointment over the internet and that Paul Mathew, D.D.S. will keep this information confidential but cannot guarantee that others, outside of our practice, may illegally intercept this communication. By accepting these terms and conditions and sending this request via our Internet portal, you accept the inherent risk(s) associated with making this request for an appointment. If you do not accept the terms and conditions, you are always welcome to contact our office via telephone to schedule your appointment.

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Here at Paul Mathew, D.D.S. we work diligently to protect our patients' privacy. Requesting an appointment via our Internet portal is considered part of what the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has identified as electronically protected healthcare information or ePHI. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, there are people or entities that may attempt to intercept the data you transmit to us. By checking the "I agree" box, and electronically making an appointment request, you acknowledge that you are making an appointment over the internet and that Paul Mathew, D.D.S. will keep this information confidential but cannot guarantee that others, outside of our practice, may illegally intercept this communication. By accepting these terms and conditions and sending this request via our Internet portal, you accept the inherent risk(s) associated with making this request for an appointment. If you do not accept the terms and conditions, you are always welcome to contact our office via telephone to schedule your appointment.

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The information presented here is not intended or implied to be medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It should be used for informational purposes only.