European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 7, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Trying to conquer dental phobia by Kay Bartlett associated press Louise had not been to a dentist in 25years. The memory of a dentist putting Towel Over her Mouth to make her Stop screaming when she was 5 years old was still far too vivid. Never mind that the incident occurred More than 40 years ago. The terror a phobia really was As Strong As though it happened yesterday. As an adult Louise never returned to a dentist s office. Now 46, she was Lucky that she did not have major dental problems until a few months ago. Then she had such pain that she had to do something. She was Lucky a second time. She is an editor at new York s mount Sznal medical Center site of one of the nation s first dental phobia clinics. Dental phobia research shows affects 8 percent to 15 percent of the adult population somewhere Between 16 million and 32 million americans. That does t count the people who hate to go to the dentist but go anyway. Our goal Here is not to turn these people into patients who just love going to the dentist says or. Theodore Goldstein a co founder of the clinic. We want them to become the Normal reluctant  Louise was interviewed extensively and scheduled to undergo her first major treatment a Root canal with general anaesthesia. Louise is not her real name. She is embarrassed by her fear she met with the clinic s dentists three times before she consented. But the Day before she was to Brave the Root canal she called from a Hospital to say she was about to undergo a Gall bladder operation. Goldstein looked at the pathology reports and found the surgery was t that urgent. This patient was willing to undergo abdominal surgery rather than face the dentist he says. Thai s How serious these phobias  eventually Louise submitted to the treatment. She recently finished up with a few fillings and a general cleaning. The dentists patiently familiarized her with the sinister looking instruments. First she was shown the Drill from across the room. Then she listened to in from a Safe distance. Later she held ii and Felt the vibrations she feared so much. It feels like a Jackhammer in the Street when it s in your Mouth but when you hold it it s hardly vibrating at All she says. Goldstein also made a kind of contract with her As he does with similar phobic patients. He explained every procedure in Advance. Louise could decide what would be done on each visit and she could leave the chair within five seconds at any time she Felt panic during treatment. We want the patient to be in control Goldstein says. We stress that we re just their  one patient was so Beverly phobic that she once extracted one of her Teeth All by herself rather than Ace the dentist. Another in severe pain came to the clinic periodically for 2 a months and stood outside the door before working up the courage to Cross the threshold. The mount Sinai clinic has been in operation six years and is one of a handful around the country. It specializes in behavioural techniques Desensi leation like handling the Drill relaxation training distraction biofeedback while others put greater stress on sedatives and Tranquili Zers. A dentist in Buffalo n.y., has devised the ultimate in distraction therapy a Packman game on the ceiling. While he s poking away at the plaque the patient is happily gobbling up Little yellow Jacmen through controls at the Side of fhe chair. The main goal of the clinic is to enable patients to return to private dentists dentists with some sensitivity to their special difficulties. For a lot of patients their anti dentist phobia is grounded in a childhood experience. Jean for example remembers being terrified by the instruments a dentist wielded in an Effort to extract a tooth. I started to  she recalls choking Back tears although the incident was 27 years ago. My father was with me and he threatened to beat me if i did t Stop screaming. I was 5 years  Jean heard about the clinic on television. She says she went because i thought they d treat me with kid  even so it took her two years before she phoned for an appointment. Like Many patients Al the clinic Jean suffers from multiple phobias a id the clinic makes no Effort to try and sort out nil of those difficulties. We Don t try to be psychiatrists  says or j Gordon Rubin one of the founders of the clinic that s too hard. But we do help people get Over their phobias  some psychiatry is thrown in nonetheless. The dentists Are Alert to body language betraying Lear changes in breathing or in Demeanour such As Whon n quiet patient suddenly becomes garrulous or a talk naive one clams up says Rubin. Sometimes a Case history presents its own solution. One woman had been badly beaten about the Inconis a child suffering permanent Eye damage. Her phobia reared up As the dentist s hand approached her lice. There was a simple solution. She now wears virtually opaque Sun glasses and has no More trouble. Dental phobia affects As Many As 32 million americans tuesday january 7, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 13