A relatively new practice, therapy dogs are being used in dental clinics to help lower patients' stress levels and prevent them from feeling anxious about their dental visits. Some dogs are used in treatment rooms, whereas others are present in the waiting room only to greet patients.
Although minimal research has been conducted on the value of using dogs to assist anxious patients in dental settings, one early study conducted in 2000 found that having dogs present in dental clinics resulted in beneficial outcomes. The study showed that children were less likely to be physiologically aroused while waiting for the dentist, and presented a reduced level of verbally expressed distress if a dog were present.
In other health care settings, patients exposed to dog-assisted interventions also experienced a beneficial effect from the presence of dogs, as there was a reduction in their cortisol and anxiety levels. Dog-assisted therapy has been demonstrated to be an effective strategy in senior populations, pediatric care, and reducing pain.
