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I don't know if every dentophobe has had bad experiences. I would assume so, or if not, why would they be phobic?

So, I guess it's just a matter of finding the right one. And, having benzos on hand, and getting as much novocaine and nitrous as possible.

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From what I've read and observed, I'd say that about 80 - 85% of dental phobias result from traumatic dental experiences (usually in combination with a dentist who is perceived as cold and uncaring). Quite a significant number of the remaining 15-20% either suffer from generalized anxiety disorder/panic disorder/agoraphobia or fear the dentist because the situation reminds them of past sexual, physical or emotional abuse. Obviously, that can also be in combination with bad dental experiences. A few individuals develop dental phobia as a result of vicarious learning (hearing scare stories). Others again have a needle phobia. Gagging is another "biggie".

It's really hard to give advice without taking into consideration what the individuals' actual fears are. For example, people who fear the loss of control in the dental chair most often don't respond well to benzos or nitrous oxide, which they feel reduces their sense of control. Purely from personal observation, people with a fear of specific dental procedures (rather than "the dentist") on average are more keen on (and respond better to) pharmacological methods of anxiety control, whereas those who fear "the dentist" or loss of control tend to fare much better with behavioural approaches. Though there are always exceptions, and things are not always very clear-cut (and it also depends on the complexity of the procedure in question). As phobias go, it's a pretty interesting one