4 days ago
20th Anniversary Collection: How power and fear play out in the dentist's chair
Sharonne Zaks grew up in a family of dentists, and when she too became a dentist, she developed an empathetic relationship with her patients, never judging them even if they'd avoided the dentist for years.
A patient named Anna profoundly changed Sharonne's understanding of a patient's experience in the dentist's chair.
Sharonne realised that for those who have been through a sexual assault or trauma, the extreme powerlessness of being treated at the dentist can be highly triggering.
Sharonne undertook study into the area, and began a new regime to treat survivors in her own practice.
She then began explaining what she'd found about the power dynamic between dentist and patient, to her own colleagues.
Further information
2025 update: Sharonne regularly presents on trauma-informed care to groups across the dental profession and beyond, including lawyers, nurses, doctors and carers.
Trauma-informed dental knowledge and skills have recently been made core competencies for all newly qualified dentists by the Australian Dental Council.
You can read all about the Conversations origin story on the ABC News website.
