Realize that you are not alone with your fears - many others have or had the same fears.
identify your fears - the mere thought of seeing a dentist can induce a feeling of overwhelming terror. This can make it difficult if not impossible to analyse what your actual fears are.
think of things that might help, by providing concrete, hands-on tips and suggestions.

In the beginning...
If you suffer with full-blown dental phobia, you probably won't have a clue where or how to start. The good news is: you've already started! Chances are that it has taken you a lot of guts to look up this information. Your heart would have been pounding (and probably still does), you may have been shaking, you may have experienced hot flushes - but you did it all the same! Congratulations.

Whether you want to tackle your fears or not, seeing a dentist is not compulsory, but a choice you may or may not make. If you eventually do decide to enter into a caring relationship (no lewd remarks please - dentistry is defined as a "caring profession" with your dentist, you should know about current thinking and guidance regarding informed consent.

The General Dental Council's guidance for dentists (2005) says:

Treat patients politely and with respect, in recognition of their dignity and rights as individuals.
Recognise and promote patients' responsibility for making decisions about their bodies, their priorities and their care, making sure you do not take any steps without patients' consent (permission).
Do not settle for anything less than a dentist who adheres to these principles and who really does view patients as active partners in their care, rather than passive recipients.

Some questions to ask yourself...
For the majority of people with a dental phobia, the fear is tied up with the dentist-patient relationship. Have a read through the following questions:

What would my "ideal" visit to a dentist be like?
What would the dentist be like?
What would they do?
What wouldn't they do?
You don't need to answer them now.

Why is it important to identify my fears?
Unless you let your dentist know what it is you fear, he or she won't be able to help you. They're not mindreaders. Trying to put on a brave face helps nobody!

Some of the fears covered in this section are "common themes" rather than individual worries. You can find out more about communicating your particular worries and needs later on, in the Help section of this site.

Knowing about the big "themes" is really helpful though - many people have commented that they liked the fears section the best, because for the first time they realized that they are not alone and that their fears are not "abnormal".