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I am the Branch manager of Barclays Bank in near Wakefield. I have a phobia about my teeth and I did not go to the dentist for years. I have this feeling that my teeth are going to fall out, that if I go to the dentist I will be told that there is something seriously wrong, such as severe gum disease. I also do not like dental surgeries. Needles do not particularly bother me. When I moved to the area from Hull, I started to look for a dentist, as I wanted to have my teeth straightened with a brace and to have two teeth at the front, which I thought looked like fangs, removed. It had taken me literally years to find the courage to seek this treatment. I visited a few dentists locally to try to find somewhere I felt comfortable attending, without having any treatment. Eventually I saw Dr Zaman’s advert, which said that his practice specialised in nervous patients and I arranged to see him. This was a real ordeal for me and I was shaking with nerves but he instantly put me at my ease. His manner was so nice. He was really caring and really understanding about my phobia. I had never experienced that before. In particular I had never found anyone so patient with me. If I cry when I go he has never appeared to mind at all and never made me feel silly which I have been made to feel by other dentists. It takes me 40-50 minutes on a good day to get to the surgery, each way, which also shows how much I want to see him rather than any other dentists, as there are many practices much nearer to me than that. The level of service he provides is worth it. He also always tells me to put my hand up at any time if I do not like anything at all about what he is doing and he will stop immediately. I have done so and he has always stopped straight away and not continued until he was sure that I was ready to go on. I was rude to him and shouted ‘stop’ at him, for example, when he was taking my teeth out several times and doing a filling. I found that he was good at sensing if I was not happy about something anyway. When I told him that I was very nervous about how I would feel to have the brace on my teeth and then what it would feel like when it was taken off and in particular that I was worried that my teeth might come off with it, he told me all about when he had worn a brace and what it felt like, etc. This really helped me. Because of his lovely manner I have been able to manage seeing him without having someone holding my hand all the time. He is always very encouraging, says ‘you’re doing well’ during treatment. Dr Zaman is also very good at explaining to me every single thing he is going to do, which I need and ask for. He makes me feel like I am in control of what he’s doing which also puts me very much at my ease. There is an instant warmth when I go and see him. I believe he is genuinely interested in me and providing me with the best dental treatment possible. The atmosphere at the surgery is relaxed. He appears to get on well with his staff and there is often quite jokey banter between them but he is always professional at the same time.
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