4 years ago

Loving Pups are Being Made to Comfort Patients in Dental Offices, But is it Sanitary?

Many dentist offices around the country are bringing in fluffy four-legged friends to help calm patients’ nerves and stress. From a cockapoo in Wisconsin named Charlie to a French bulldog in Nashville named PeeWee and a Golden doodle in North Carolina named Beamer, people realize having a dog present can help patients’ anxiety.

A study found that 1 in 3 Americans experience stress, anxiety, and fear when they go to the dentist. This prompted dentists to think about other ways to calm their patient’s nerves. A small study found that patients who had a dog lie on their lap during treatment had a decreased blood pressure level and overall stress.

Similar studies have concluded that animals in health care facilities can help boost people’s moods and even reduce their pain. However, the increase in comfort and therapy dogs in dental clinics has come with a lack of regulation. Many began to question whether or not the dog’s presence was putting the patients at risk of an infection or dog attack. Similarly, patients who are allergic to dogs or have a fear of dogs have some concerns about them being there.

In North Carolina, patients complained about sanitation and safety issues which prompted the state to approve a law allowing only certain types of highly trained dogs into the exam rooms. This took effect in June 2021 and is thought to be one of the only regulations like this in the country.

The Americans With Disabilities Act allows people with disabilities to bring service dogs into health facilities, including dentist offices. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), they do not risk transmitting infection in these settings.

Initially, the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners made a rule that would have only allowed for service dogs for people with disabilities. Patients and dog lovers flooded the board’s CEO with emails, forcing them to reconsider their strict rule.

This prompted the current rule of allowing facility dogs in dental offices as well. Facility dogs are trained the same as service dogs but also learn to help all kinds of people, rather than just one owner. The dogs work closely with a handler and are desensitized to sounds like dentist drills before entering the field. They also have to learn to stay still on the patient’s lap during procedures when the dentist is working.

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Many programs train these certified facility dogs, such as Assistance Dogs International or Animal Assisted Intervention International. It also requires the dog’s handler to be trained and certified.

While some states may begin to implement these furry friends, others are still against it. James Sparks, president of the American Association of Dental Boards, said that he would never bring an animal into his office.

“I can’t take the chance of a dog jumping up while I do work,” he said.