Learning Can Happen Anywhere: How a Nerve-Wracking Dentist Appointment Turned into a Positive Learning Experience

Some might say that going to the dentist is a necessary evil. I used to consider myself one of those people, but it is an essential process and beneficial to your overall oral health. Some may argue that school is also a necessary evil. Again, I was one of those people because I used to think education was an essential component of your overall life. But over the years, I realized that education should be viewed as an enriching learning experience for every individual’s personal growth. Learning doesn’t have to be limited to school. You can learn anything anywhere outside of school, and I am not talking about homework, tutoring, or homeschooling. I am talking about a personal learning experience in any setting, whether it’s positive or negative. As someone who finds going to the dentist uncomfortable, let me share how my latest appointment turned into a learning experience that calmed my nerves and encouraged me to go back with a lot less stress.

I never liked going to the dentist, not even for annual cleanings. The sound of the screaming drills coming from the office while waiting in the waiting room, the anticipation of the gadgets poking inside my mouth, and the combination of tactile and auditory discomfort always made me feel uneasy. My anxiety level increased the longer I waited for my appointment to start. You might be thinking that there are many ways to take your mind off the stress, especially in a dentist’s office, because there are usually at least a few materials to keep your mind occupied in the waiting room. In my experience with the dentist I went to when I was little, there were magazines sprawled on the table. I wasn’t much of a reader as a kid, nor did I care about the content enough to even look at the pictures. There was child-friendly entertainment, but the games they had weren’t enough to calm my nerves. I tended to get distracted by the various picture frames on the wall, but they just made the vibe more nerve-wracking because most of them featured paintings of people with creepy smiles and odd-looking teeth. The smell of chemicals from the dental products wafting through the air didn’t help much either. The only thing this dentist’s office had that helped reduce my stress a little bit was a fish tank. I was always entranced by the little fish inside the tank, which distracted me from the loud drills and people screaming, “help me!” Okay, nobody actually screamed anything like that, but I bet a dollar a dozen that some were thinking it. Yes, the fish tank did help until my name got called, and my stress levels rose when I was figuratively strapped to the chair with my mouth stretched open while the dental tools were poking, scraping, and clawing in my mouth. All I did to calm myself down was close my eyes and listen to the soft music on the radio while waiting for the routine to be over. The music helped a little, but it was hard to hear over the loud electric dentist tools shoved in my mouth. Even though I felt more at ease after the dentist appointment, I would often walk out with undesirable news about my teeth. There were cases of cavities, enamel erosion, a lot of plaque build-up, and my teeth were crooked on top of all that. With every case, I knew I had to go back—not once, but twice a year. Sometimes more, depending on the situation.

My teeth have gotten better over the years; I haven’t gotten cavities in a while, I had braces that straightened my teeth, and my brushing has improved. I use a special toothpaste that helps preserve what is left of my enamel, so I have been leaving the dentist’s office without any negative feedback well into my early adulthood. However, I still had that unbearable feeling of anxiety about going, no matter what. Before my next scheduled dentist appointment, I would cancel it and not book another one for ages. I’ve always meant to book myself an appointment, but I kept procrastinating. Ever since I got my wisdom teeth removed and relocated from what was then my regular dentist, I stopped going. Once I secured a stable career with the school board, I took advantage of the benefits, bit the bullet, and decided to find a new dentist in my area. I was very nervous attending my first appointment with the new dentist’s office I found. I was waiting in the waiting room, where there were magazine displays and a playset for the kids. There is no fish tank at this one, though. Now that many people look at their smartphones, there probably isn’t much use for reading materials anymore, but it's still not a bad thing to have. Speaking of new technology, it has been so long since I’ve been to the dentist that I’ve never sat in a dentist’s chair with a smart TV built into the ceiling. As the chair reclined, there it was: the flat screen overhead with the nature channel on. So, not only was there music playing in the background to help reduce anxiety, but there was also visual stimuli. The program the hygienist put on was an episode of “Planet Earth” about life underwater. As the utensils were poking and scraping in my mouth, my eyes were glued to the screen. It was visually appealing to see all the sea creatures beneath the ocean’s surface. The sound was off, but there were subtitles of what the narrator was saying, and I read every single bit of information during the procedure. Not only was I getting my teeth cleaned, but I was also learning something. I was so focused on the TV that I didn’t even think about the cleaning. My stress levels reduced a ton, and I felt way more relaxed. The Dental Association must have conducted thorough research to find ways to prevent their patients from feeling overly stressed and anxious about their procedures, so installing a TV above a dentist's chair is a brilliant idea because it could benefit many people who are afraid of going to the dentist, especially children. I value this approach, as it aligns with my mission to develop strategies to help students manage their stress levels in my role in the education field. School is often stressful, which affects a student’s genuine learning experience. Many students avoid attending class because of negative experiences, much like how I avoided going to the dentist because of mine.  Similarly, why doesn’t every classroom offer that same type of environment as an updated dentist’s office? Learning occurs naturally, and it can be stimulating in a calming environment. I do my best as an educator to provide the safest and most positive learning environment to minimize stress. For younger readers who may be struggling in school, my latest visit to the dentist served as a reminder that you can learn anything, at any time, anywhere. School isn’t the only place where you can have an educational experience. You can learn in any situation you can think of, including something as stressful as going to the dentist. That’s how learning should be: a stress-free process where you can explore your curiosity no matter where you are. If you’re in a situation you don’t want to be in, look out for anything that interests you. It may come unexpectedly, but look around for any specific stimuli that pique your curiosity. It may take your mind off your anxiety, and this includes while you’re in school. It may sound like it’s a distraction, but you’re actually learning something without stressing about your progress.