Pet therapy

According to statistics from the Oral Health Foundation, almost half of UK adults have a fear of the dentist, with 12% of these suffering from extreme dental anxiety or phobia. The result is a huge number of patients unable to access dental care due to this fear.

Avoidance behaviour is one of the main causes of cancelled appointments or lack of interest in dental treatment, which in turn generates tooth decay, decreased self-esteem and poor quality of life.¹

Animal-assisted interventions, particularly the use of a therapy dog, have been documented in health care settings as having positive effects on patients. In an article published online in January 2020, entitled Introducing a Therapy Dog Into Practice,² it cited research to support this therapeutic approach in ageing populations, paediatric patients and for pain reduction.