Does anesthesia make you antsy?  Does the chair make you cringe? If so, you're not alone, fear of the dentist is a common one.  So much so, in fact, that more than 20 million Americans avoid going to the dentist because of fear, according to the National Institutes of Health. 

Thanks to advancements in the profession and a greater understanding of people's fears, however, consumers no longer have to avoid the dentist because of anxiety, according to an article in the July 2007 issue of AGD Impact, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) monthly newsmagazine. There are a number of ways that patients can work with their dentist to feel at ease about their visit, whether it's the first or tenth time at the office.

Reviewed: January 2012