I dread dentists. What I did was look for someone who claimed to "cater to cowards" - it was right there in his yellow pages ad... and he did, too, and he'd send the nursey in to hold my hand, and I would scream if I felt like it (which was often). They just put up with me. Now that I have dental insurance I make myself (with a lot of shots of Powers or something) do the twice-yearly cleaning, and they do look down at me for not flossing, well then *^)^ them, I don't floss, so there. They have never told me not to come, never told me to act my age, never complained when I almost broke the woman's hand once. There are dentists who will put up with terrified adults, you just have to look for them. AND DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU NOT TO ACT TERRIFIED; they should know what they are getting into. I remember trying to act brave when I was in my teens - I outgrew it, and it works much better now! I do get the biannual cleanings, and haven't had a real cavity in over 5 years (my record till then had been 11 - the fewest for one visit, I mean).