kitkat
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- Joined
- Mar 27, 2006
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- United States
I am seeing somewhat of a growing trend where dentists (at least in North America) are starting to utilize therapy dogs in their offices to calm down anxious patients. These dogs are usually emotional support animals that are personally owned by the dentist that go through a training/licensure process. They offer patients the option to have these dogs present with them just at the beginning or throughout treatment depending on preference. There are small dogs that may lay in the patient’s lap and larger dogs that sit on the floor near the patient (in petting distance) or maybe drape their head on the patient’s lap. Do you think this kind of thing would help calm you down? Personally, owning 2 dogs myself, I would absolutely LOVE this option ESPECIALLY in the waiting room. If I had a dog to distract me, I think the majority of my anticipatory anxiety would be gone.