*3.2.2. Patient perspective*

Delaying, rescheduling, or avoiding dental visit due to dental anxiety leads to seeing a dentist only when it is inevitable, which may end up into a need for complicated treatment [36]. The latter might bring about more anxiety, failure to abide to instructions, or comply to preventive care hence exaggerate oral health problems [43]. Unfortunately, causes of dental anxiety such as personality, past dental experience, or family/peer influence are basically out of patients' control. Therefore, they need to be assisted to overcome the anxiety, which is a sole responsibility of the dental team. The dental team should have a broad approach on patient's needs, not be judgmental while managing the patient, instead do all that is required to allay the patient's anxiety, thus facilitating provision of proper care.
