Overcoming Dental Anxiety
Compassionate, evidence-based support from Aura Psychology — located right inside our clinic — so you can receive the dental care you need with calm and confidence.
Compassionate, evidence-based support from Aura Psychology — located right inside our clinic — so you can receive the dental care you need with calm and confidence.
We understand that visiting the dentist or undergoing oral surgery can feel daunting. For many people, dental anxiety is a real challenge that goes beyond simple nervousness — it can trigger intense fear, physical symptoms, and the avoidance of necessary care.
To help our patients receive care in a comfortable, supportive environment, we are proud to partner with Aura Psychology, located right here within our clinic. Aura provides specialized, evidence-based therapy to help you overcome dental anxiety and retrain your nervous system’s response to dental settings.
Dental anxiety is incredibly common — and absolutely treatable. It can stem from a variety of factors:
The feeling of vulnerability when reclined in a chair with someone working in your mouth.
Even with modern, pain-free dentistry, the fear of discomfort can be enough to trigger anxiety.
The sounds, smells, and physical sensations of a dental office can quickly become overwhelming.
A previous negative medical or dental experience can create a lasting fear response.
Avoiding the dentist can worsen oral health, which in turn increases shame and further avoidance.
Aura uses trauma-informed, evidence-based approaches designed not just to help you endure an appointment, but to fundamentally change how you experience dental care.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is highly effective for trauma and phobias, helping your brain reprocess distressing memories so they no longer trigger a fear response.
Working directly with the subconscious mind, hypnotherapy reduces fear and builds new, calmer associations with dental settings while you are deeply relaxed.
A gold-standard treatment for phobias: safe, controlled, and gradual exposure to dental settings that teaches your nervous system you are safe.
Practical tools — breathing techniques, grounding exercises, and self-hypnosis — to help you stay calm before and during your appointments.
It varies with the severity and root cause of your anxiety. Some patients see significant improvement in three to six sessions, while others benefit from longer-term support. A realistic timeline is discussed during your initial assessment.
Aura can work on an accelerated timeline. This may involve intensive sessions and close coordination with our dental team to explore sedation options, so you receive the care you need while working through your anxiety.
Services provided by a registered psychologist are often partially or fully covered under extended health benefits in Alberta. Detailed receipts are provided for insurance submission.
Lesley King is a Registered Psychologist and the founder of Aura Psychology. With a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, she specializes in helping people overcome anxiety, panic, and trauma — including fears tied to medical and dental experiences. She uses evidence-based approaches such as EMDR, clinical hypnosis, and mindfulness to help patients retrain their nervous system’s response to dental settings, fostering calm and confidence on their oral health journey.
You don’t have to let fear stand between you and your oral health. Aura Psychology offers a judgment-free space to help you move forward — without guilt or dread.
Book a free 15-minute consultation with Aura Psychology today.
Aura Psychology is located inside our clinic at 4935 40 Ave NW, Suite 104, Calgary, AB T3A 2N1.
Call or submit online — we make the referral process simple.