Dentists freak me out too. When I was a kid my parents sent me to a dentist for problem children because I would freak out so bad. He just slapped me until I cooperated. Which I guess was only once, but it didn't a exactly fix my fears of the dentist.

My current dentist says he has a lot of patients that are terrified of the dentist and is very in tune to my non berbals. That and it was discovered my nerve endings aren't where they are on a typical patient so I was never getting the full effect of novacaine. The dentist isn't supposed to hurt, who new?

I also dread the damage list. I take good care of my teeth, aside from eating a lot of sugar, and there's always something. My teeth have weak enamel and my parents never ponied up the cash for sealants.

I get myself through it by reminding myself I've been through worse I've given birth three times, a visit to the dentist is child's play. It helps some.