The Challenges of Dental Care for Survivors of Abuse and Trauma

Dental care can be a real trip down memory lane for trauma survivors—except the memories are less "I remember my first bike" and more "I wish I could forget this ever happened." Here's a rundown of why dental visits can feel like a horror movie screening for some:

1. The Trauma of Intake Forms:

• Invasive Questions: Dental offices love their forms, right? But for survivors, these aren't just paperwork; they're like opening a Pandora's box of past horrors. "Any mental health history?" might as well ask, "Want to relive your worst moments today?"

• Retraumatization: Nothing says "welcome to dental care" like being asked to detail your trauma history. It's like, "Can we trigger you before we even touch your teeth?"

2. Lack of Trauma-Informed Care:

• Understanding and Training: Most dentists are great at fixing teeth, but not all have the manual for fixing the psyche. Without trauma training, you might as well be explaining your nightmares to a drill.

• Communication: Staff might think they're being helpful by asking why you're jumpy, but really, they're just providing the soundtrack to your PTSD.

3. Power Dynamics:

• Vulnerability in the Chair: There's something about lying back in a dental chair that screams "I'm at your mercy." For survivors, it's less "relaxing spa day" and more "oh no, not this again."

4. Escalation and Misunderstanding:

• Advocacy Perceived as Aggression: When you're trying to set boundaries by saying "no" to a question, and it's met with "we're calling security," you start questioning if you accidentally walked into a police procedural instead of a dental office.

5. Insurance and Accessibility:

• Limited Resources: Because nothing says "you're valued" like losing an appointment you waited months for because someone misunderstood your trauma response for hostility. Now, you're back to square one with your teeth and your wallet.

What Can Be Done?

• Trauma-Informed Education: Maybe instead of just "how to use a drill 101," dental schools could add "how not to scare the living daylights out of patients 102."

• Patient-Centric Policies: Let's update those forms. Instead of "Do you have any mental health issues?" how about "How can we make your visit less like a dental interrogation?"

• Empathy in Practice: Asking "How can we make this visit more comfortable for you?" is so rare it might just make you think you've entered an alternate universe where dentists care about your comfort.

• Environment and Approach: Creating a calm environment? That's like suggesting the dentist wear a clown nose to lighten the mood. But really, a bit of kindness could work wonders.

Why It Matters:

• Healing and Autonomy: For survivors, going to the dentist can be part of reclaiming their life, one tooth at a time. Let's not turn it into another battle.

• Access to Care: If survivors keep getting turned away because they're seen as "difficult," they'll end up with teeth like a horror story character. And nobody wants that.

So, let's hope dental offices start understanding that sometimes, a patient's fear isn't just about the drill; it's about the whole damn experience. If you've got stories or are a provider looking to not scare your patients further, let's talk. After all, laughter might be the best medicine, but empathy is the best dental tool.