Yes, I had a rough-handed dentist as a child, and in one year, had to have a bunch of cavities filled. It felt like a horror show to me. I don't care about the

Yes, I had a rough-handed dentist as a child, and in one year, had to have a bunch of cavities filled. It felt like a horror show to me. I don't care about the facilities themselves... but when looking for a dentist now I've put it out directly that I have a past fear of dentistry, and I've been assigned a hygienist who has a more careful bedside manner than others. It says right on my chart that I'm anxious about dentistry. The newest doc I've had to switch to was diligent about noting it and talking me through, acknowledging where I was coming from. Metal on teeth is also a thing for me. I'm pretty much over the hump now, but it was an effort to work through it. A few good offices who where explicit in their response to my feelings did wonders, too.