Going to the dentist can be an anxious experience for many people, and now thanks to your donations, we’re helping create a calmer experience for patients at Leeds Dental Institute.

Your donations mean that eligible patients who are referred to the dental institute will now be offered CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) to help them get the dental treatment they need.

One of the dental nurses, Lindsey, came up with the idea to launch a pilot at the dental institute using cognitive behavioural therapy for patients with dental anxiety.

This funding has enabled the team in the oral surgery department at the Leeds Dental Institute to have specialist training to deliver CBT.

It is hoped that this therapy will help reduce the need to use general anaesthetic for procedures that would normally be done using local anaesthetic, and enable patients to have dental care in the community sooner.

An audit of the department found that 166 adult patients who were medically fit and having a less complex procedure, like a tooth extraction, needed to be put under general anaesthetic because of their anxiety. From a surgeon’s perspective, around 96% of these people would have been medically suitable for local anaesthetic.

Staff from the department also spoke to a cohort of their most anxious patients prior to setting up the service, and around 70% of people said they would be interested in accessing CBT if it was available.

Lots of patients also experience anxiety around having injections, and CBT is also  a highly effective treatment for needle phobia which can otherwise prevent them from getting the treatment they need.

The first patients started the pilot scheme at the end of April and it is hoped that 18 patients will benefit initially.

Staff will tailor CBT to the specific anxiety a patient is facing through one-hour weekly sessions. The first step will involve helping patients make sense of the factors contributing to their anxiety and making a treatment plan together. Treatment typically involves helping patients address difficult thoughts and feelings as well as develop their confidence around dental equipment and procedures.

Following completion of dental treatment at the hospital, thanks to the introduction of CBT, it is hoped that the effect will be long lasting and that patients will be able to receive dental care in their community, with guidance to community dentists about techniques to support patients.

Dr Adam Jones, Lecturer in Oral Surgery says:

“We’re excited to have started the pilot and grateful for the opportunity to transform the hospital experience for anxious patients. It wouldn’t have been possible to get this off the ground without support from Leeds Hospitals Charity. 

“This project is low cost and low risk, but will have a big impact on our patients. We hope that if the pilot is successful, we can integrate a cognitive behavioural therapy journey into our treatment plans for patients with severe anxiety so they can get the treatment they need and live the best possible quality of life.”