• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

    Register now to access all the features of the forum.

Appointment Time-What's your preference?

What time do your prefer to visit the dentist?

  • Early Morning (approximately 8am-10am)

    Votes: 43 57.3%
  • Before Noon (approximately 10am-12pm)

    Votes: 10 13.3%
  • Afternoon (approximately 12pm-3pm)

    Votes: 12 16.0%
  • Evening (approximately 3pm-5pm)

    Votes: 10 13.3%
  • Other

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    75
kitkat

kitkat

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 27, 2006
Messages
1,568
Location
United States
You need to schedule a dental appointment. What time of day do you prefer to visit the dentist and why?
 
Last edited:
Even though this is my poll, I'm a bit torn. I think I cope best in the early morning because I'm not dealing with worrying about it all day. I can just "get it over with" and get on with my day. Also, if I go early enough (like 8am) I'm still a bit groggy from sleeping (or not sleeping :rolleyes:) so I feel more sedated and less jumpy. I tend to care less about what's going on around me if I'm tired and I think I remember it less (Note: I don't use any form of actual sedation). On the otherhand, I sense that my dentist is not a morning person and I respect that, because I'm not either in most scenarios. It just seems like in past appointments though, she's generally more friendly, patient, and compassionate in the afternoon. I probably sound crazy but that's just been my observation! lol So if it's something that I'm particularly fearful about, I shoot for the afternoon because I presume she'll be able to better handle me...if that makes any sense?! :confused:
 
Last edited:
I chose the afternoon option, mostly because there is no way that I would manage to be showered, dressed have all the pets fed and my makeup on by 8 am. Also I have the issue of a school age child, so I tend to find I am rushed and feel somewhat 'chaotic' some mornings. I like time to get everything ordered and get myself ready physically and emotionally; so most of my appointments have been around 2 or 2.30 pm.
 
It really depends what I am having done. If it's an extraction earlier the better. If its filling or rct early prefered. If it's check up I don't really mind. If I go early morning it leaves my day free to get on with other things, I don't sleep well the night before so to get up early to get ready gives me something to do.
 
I preffer early morning as it get's the appointment over and done with. With my dentist in Leicester though I used to have evening appointments - so I wouldn't need to take time off work. Check ups dont bother me though I do become anxious when I need treatment.
 
Definitely early morning - after packing kids off to school. I'm a morning person anyway (up around 5.00 or 6.00 normally). I also know exactly where to sit - if I sit on the couch he can see me as he walks out BUT if I sit on the chair he has to look around the corner to find me!
 
I am most assuredly NOT a morning person.

I often don't get to sleep until 4:00 am or later, in which case I'm not even awake until close to noon.

And then I seem incapable of just jumping up out of bed, slipping into the shower, and being ready to head out the door in record time. I need my coffee first. (It's decaf, but I think it's more mental anyway.)
 
I'm often ill in the mornings, and it's worse when I'm anxious, so I'd never book an early morning appointment in case I ended up missing it! Early afternoon (or very late morning) gives me the best chance of making it, without having too long to get worked up about it. It also works well for me in terms of following the rules about not eating before sedation appointments, plus it's the time that best suits the person who always drives me. :)

I also find that, especially at my new (very large!) practice, it can get really busy from school-finish time onwards, and I prefer it to be as quiet/calm as possible...not that I'm ever at all calm, but being surrounded by multiple dental conversations, nervous faces and excitable or frightened children is not the most helpful waiting experience! :rolleyes:
 
I also find that, especially at my new (very large!) practice, it can get really busy from school-finish time onwards, and I prefer it to be as quiet/calm as possible...not that I'm ever at all calm, but being surrounded by multiple dental conversations, nervous faces and excitable or frightened children is not the most helpful waiting experience! :rolleyes:

Ah! Another reason I like my early morning appointments. The office is usually pretty empty...just me and the staff! :) Occasionally one other person is there waiting with me but if I can score the first appointment and arrive early I normally have the place to myself. Trying to hide my fear from other patients and appear relaxed or at ease in the waiting room is in some ways worse than facing the dentist. I often try to study my waiting room companions for signs of nervousness to not feel so alone ...then I wonder if they think I'm nervous and I start to feel paranoid....it's just an awkward situation I'd rather avoid.
 
Definitely early morning! I don't want to be worrying and waiting all day!
 
I prefer to have my appointments first thing in the morning, but make sure I can eat breakfast and enough time to brush my teeth.

I don't like having to wait to long in the waiting room, I get scared and embarrassed how my teeth look.

I get anxious for checkups, treatments, x rays etc what the dentist may find, I want to get my mouth healthly so I keep my appointments

sometimes I don't get asked by the reception team what I prefer, even though in my notes I got anxious and afraid.

I know emergencies appointments can happen and appointments over running with treatments for other patients. If possible I try to get the first appointment of the day with my dentist so I hopefully in and out before 9am.
 
of course early in the morning. worrying all day is bad idea but mostly I want my dentist to be fresh start. I don't want my doctor to be tire from all day work and looking at me like lets get this one done fast and go HOME!!:)
 
Hi all.

I always get first thing in the morning when I can. Often times don't have an option, but I have told my dentist that I prefer early mornings.

I'm used to getting up early for work and as someone else said in the morning I'm rather groggy still, so I'm less anxious because I'm tired. The night before a dentist appointment is often a sleep less one.

Having the appointment in the early morning gives me less time to get anxious. I can also skip breakfast, because if I'm having nitrous I don't like to eat ahead of time.

JJ
 
B4 noon, I just don't handle getting up really early that well. If i ever bother going in for a cleaning, but that's another story, it'll be b4 noon for sure.
 
Due to my dental difficulties, I try for a morning appointment to give me the rest of that day to recover and manage dinner. Not so fussed about time for checkups or reviews though.
 
I like going right in the afternoon because then I don't have to wake up too early and I don't have to catch traffic on the way home. I like to go to the gym after the dentist and keep a pretty clear day.
 
I prefer mid-morning, but my next check up is the first appointment of the day ? I don't think I'd be able to have an afternoon appointment as I'd be a nervous wreck by the time I would be seen.
 
I prefer early morning appointments, especially for fillings this gives me the opportunity to have breakfast and then by lunch I’m fine to eat as the local has had time to metabolise and ware off. My dentist is always super chirpy in the morning as well. And there’s not many people in the waiting room usually it’s just me so I don’t have to worry about seeing other people. I don’t really care about what time I have the check up and clean though usually i do like it before 2pm.
 
Get it over!
 
I know for me, I'm an afternoon person, and with my previous dentist , he would say to schedule the appts in the afternoon so I would be last of day and have no one in back of me so he would not have to get to the next patient and could completely focus being in a busy practice that shuffled between patients. I appreciated being the last person of the day in that fashion as well I was feeling better .. however.. now.. my new dentist.. he is at his prime in the morning, there are less people there , they are fresh and ready for a new day and it just feels great to do it in the morning here especially big appointments. though it is an emergency clinic and it is nice to be able to go on a Friday night when I can't take off work to get in during the day.
 

Similar threads

M
Replies
1
Views
99
NervousUSA
NervousUSA
S
Replies
2
Views
192
letsconnect
letsconnect
D
Replies
14
Views
475
Dodioban
D
F
Replies
3
Views
415
letsconnect
letsconnect
Back
Top