Makes sense, really. Curious though, anyone here ever switch dentists because their humor (or lack of it) didn't match your comfort level?
Haha, your dentist sounds great. Mine tries to crack jokes too, but they're usually pretty corny... like dad-joke level corny. One time he asked if I flossed regularly, and when I hesitated, he said, "Don't worry, I only floss the teeth I wanna keep." 🙄 Honestly though, I'd rather have a dentist who's a bit awkwardly funny than one who's super serious and makes me nervous. Never switched dentists over humor, but definitely appreciate one who can lighten the mood when I'm in that chair.
Haha, your dentist sounds like mine—he's always got some cheesy joke ready to go. Honestly, I think dentists probably use humor to ease their own nerves as much as ours. I haven't switched dentists over humor either, but I did switch my kid's dentist once because of how they handled anxiety. My daughter was really nervous about her first filling, and the dentist we had at the time was just... overly clinical, you know? Not mean or anything, just very matter-of-fact and didn't really take the time to reassure her or explain things in a kid-friendly way.
We ended up finding another dentist through a friend's recommendation, and it made a huge difference. This new dentist has a gentle, patient approach and uses humor in a way that's comforting rather than awkward. She'll joke around about the "sugar bugs" they're chasing away or pretend the dental chair is a spaceship—little things that make my daughter smile and relax. It's amazing how much difference the right personality match can make, especially for kids.
I guess humor is part of it, but it's more about how they use it and whether it helps your kid feel safe and comfortable. I'm curious though, has anyone else had experiences where a dentist's personality or approach really helped your kid overcome dental anxiety? Or maybe the opposite happened? Always interesting to hear how other parents navigate this stuff...
We had a similar experience, actually. Our first dentist was nice enough, but she was always rushing through appointments and didn't really slow down to explain things to my son. He's pretty anxious about anything medical, so it just wasn't working. We ended up finding our current dentist through a local parenting Facebook group—have you checked any of those out? They're great for recommendations, especially if you're budget-conscious like me.
Anyway, this new dentist is fantastic. He takes the time to chat with my son about his favorite cartoons or sports teams before even starting the exam. It seems small, but it makes a huge difference in calming him down. Plus, he explains everything he's doing in simple terms, like calling the suction tool "Mr. Thirsty" or saying he's "counting teeth" instead of examining them. Honestly, I think it's less about humor specifically and more about having someone who genuinely connects with kids and understands their fears.
Have you tried asking around in local parent groups or community pages for recommendations? That really helped us narrow things down without breaking the bank.
We found ours through word-of-mouth too, but not from Facebook—just chatting with other parents at soccer practice. Our dentist does the "Mr. Thirsty" thing as well, and honestly, it turned my daughter's anxiety around completely. Little things like that really do matter.
We do the "Mr. Thirsty" thing too, and you'd be surprised how often it helps kids relax. Have you noticed if your dentist uses flavored gloves or toothpaste? Ours started using bubblegum-flavored gloves recently, and it's been a total game changer for anxious kiddos. My own son went from dreading appointments to actually reminding me when it's time to go back...little things really do make a huge difference.
