Name of Lecture: …Music & Reducing Anxiety in Dental Patients

Name of Speaker: …C. Pradeep, principal of Parirayam Dental College, Kannur, Kerala   

Program Time: …6.30-7.00

Actual Time: …6.15-7.00

Location: ...Seema Dental College

Name of Chairman:…S. Parker

Name of Reporter: …Klara Gerrits

Reference Material/Presentation/Other Information Collected: …Powerpoint 

Main Points of the Lecture: ....

Mr Pradeep discussed the fact that dental pain, after the pain of childbirth is the largest pain known. It’s stressful, for both the patient and the dental professionals. Fear in the patient leads to restless, rigid patients, and will in the end lead to avoidance of the dental visits. Mr Pradeep uses music therapy in his dental practice to reduce the anxiety in his patients. Listening to (classical) music has been shown to have therapeutic effects in changing mood, relieving stress and bringing about relaxation and contentment. Through a questionnaire based study the use of music therapy in a dental setting has been shown to reduce the pain felt. In his two year study (600 patients) all patients listened to music in the waiting room, followed by half the patients listening to music during the treatment. The speaker shared the results of the study: the patients listening to music showed lower tension and better treatability; 98% of the patients indicated to like listening to music in future treatments.  

Questions and Answers (name of person and details of question): …
- Question 1) What is more: the real pain of the patient or his fear? Answer: Both are real. 
- Question 2) Can it be that ones favorite music will become traumatized when associating it with dental visits? Answer: The speaker advised not to use your favorite music(!)

Other Comments (e.g. references to other resources, talks being held etc): ...None