BATAVIA, N.Y. — A Cleveland Clinic study finds more than one third of Americans are scared or nervous about going to the dentist.
But Batavia Family Dental is trying to ease those fears with a certain kind of treatment that could involve man's best friend.
"This place is his home, and he's our mascot, and we really enjoy having him around," said Dr. Steve Sokolovskiy, who is talking about his dog, Khan.
Khan is what Batavia Family Dental calls its "mascot."
The Director of Operations, Kerry Perry, said, "Khan loves being here as much as the patients love having him here."
Khan has been in the office since he was just 2 months old.
"That was about four years ago during COVID. It was a little more time for us to re-evaluate what's missing in the office, and we all agreed as a group that a dog was a great addition," Dr. Sokolovskiy said.
With training, little by little, Khan was introduced to patients. He has a special job to do that involves making patients not only smile, but also give them comfort.
"We know nobody likes coming to the dentist, and we've come accustomed to that after all these years. That's why we have Khan," Perry said.
"What I'm trying to do is change perception. He creates more of a homey atmosphere, where it's, you know, we're not going to hurt you, we're here to help! That's what we're trying to achieve," Dr. Sokolovskiy said.
He added, "It starts with kids. It starts early on. When parents tell kids, like, if you don't brush, you're going to see a dentist. So, when kids come in, they really become really nervous about what we're going to do for them. I'm trying to change that perception, where kids come in, and they get to remember they play with a dog. They don't remember pretty much what else is going on, but the dog does change the perception."
Patients like Carol Merrick, love having Khan around. She's been going to this office since 2009.
"It's really nice to have a dog come in to see you while you having a something done to your mouth and the dog is smiling at you," Merrick said.
For more information about Batavia Family Dental and the services and treatments they offer go to their website.