"Reconcile Your Child with the Dentist"
Gülnaz Aydın, who graduated from Hacettepe University Faculty of Dentistry in 2007 and earned the title of dentist, evaluated the cases she encountered at Dent Halikarnas Oral and Dental Health Clinic, which she founded in Bodrum in 2014. Emphasizing the importance of dental health and care starting from childhood, dentist Gülnaz Aydın also drew attention to the fact that parents unintentionally instill the fear of dentists in their children. In her statement, Gülnaz Aydın said:
"When we established Dent Halikarnas, our goal was to be a clinic that provides services in all areas of oral and dental health in Bodrum. In the time since our establishment, we have observed that we have a significant number of patients, particularly in the field of orthodontics, and a large portion of these patients are children. In our studies with fellow dentists, we decided that this common negative experience in children is saddening and urgently requires preventive measures. At this stage, the elimination of children's fear of dentists should be the top priority. Here, the most crucial role falls on parents because the fear of dentists is more common among adults than children. It is especially vital not to share previous dental experiences in front of children. When children sense the fears of their parents before and after a dental visit, or hear the memories of their guiding elders, they become even more anxious about visiting the dentist. The approach we adopt at Dent Halikarnas Polyclinic is focused on eliminating the apprehension of children. If a patient is afraid or hesitant to sit on the dentist's chair, we don't force them. Instead, we take them on a tour of our clinic and provide information about the procedures we will perform. This way, when they return to the clinic, they can sit on the chair without us needing to say anything. Children fear the unknown. Just like children who cry when sitting in a barber's chair for the first time because they don't know what will happen, it is quite normal for them to react similarly in our chair. The greatest support in overcoming these fears comes from the family and the dentist."
DT. Gülnaz Aydın draws attention to the fact that this fear, which starts in childhood, can persist in later years and reminds that sometimes children can be more comfortable sitting on the dentist's chair than their parents. She also highlights that in today's world, where technology and techniques have advanced, bad experiences are no longer common, and even anesthesia needles no longer cause much pain.
Emphasizing the significant role our teeth play in aesthetics and beauty, DT. Gülnaz Aydın notes that dental aesthetics have become indispensable for oral and dental health clinics. She points out that the number of people who value dental aesthetics for both health and improving their appearance is increasing day by day, and she also warns those who haven't visited a dentist for a long time.