Meet Cassie: Our Therapy Dog!

Are you one of the Americans who fear dental treatment, or perhaps part of the group who experience extreme anxiety? If so, you’re not alone! According to recent statistics, 36% of people in the U.S. have a fear of dental treatment, with 12% of them experiencing an extreme level of fear.

This fear can lead to avoiding dental visits, which can result in oral health problems. In response, dental practices, including us here at Sutter Dental Collective, have been investing in various strategies to create a soothing and calming environment for their patients, particularly those who suffer from dental anxiety. One such strategy that has shown remarkable success is the use of therapy dogs.

How We Use Therapy Dogs in Our Dental Practice

In the context of a dental practice, a therapy dog is a specially trained dog that provides comfort and support to people with dentophobia. These dogs are trained to be gentle, friendly, and responsive to patients’ needs.

Our team here at Sutter Dental Collective is excited to announce that we will be welcoming a new member soon – a therapy dog called Cassie. Cassie is a labradoodle who was rescued from Norcal Poodle Rescue. She is two years old and loves to play and snuggle. We believe that Cassie will be a valuable addition to our practice, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact she will have on our anxious patients.

REDUCING ANXIETY AND STRESS

Having Cassie around will help calm the nerves of our patients. Studies have shown that interacting with therapy dogs can reduce anxiety and stress levels.

PROVIDING A DISTRACTION

Cassie will also provide a welcome distraction during a dental procedure. That’s right; anxious patients can focus on petting and interacting with the gentle lady rather than the procedure, which will further help to reduce discomfort and anxiety.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

As we mentioned earlier, Cassie loves to play and snuggle. She’ll also be the cutest in our office. All these things can be great conversation starters. This, in turn, will help our patients feel more comfortable and relaxed, which can lead to more open and honest communication with our dentists.

HAPPY STAFF

Did you know dogs can actually tell when you are not in a good mood and will try to do something to help? By having Cassie at our practice, we hope to create a more positive and uplifting environment for our staff, which will translate to better patient care.

WILL ANXIOUS PATIENTS BE REQUIRED TO INTERACT WITH CASSIE IF THEY DON’T WANT TO?

Nope! Our patients are not required to interact with Cassie if they do not want to. We provide therapy dogs as a possible option to reduce or relieve dental anxiety, and they are not required.