Stress, anxiety and the dental patient: the missing specification.

The importance of stress and anxiety as contributing to the complex aetiology of dental disease is becoming more widely recognized. Clinical examples of organic dental disease which were relieved when their psychological causes had been uncovered are described. It suggested that specialized psychiatric skills are not always necessary in dealing with such cases. The dentist's own personal life experience, his human understanding and his interest his patients' well-being are usually sufficient. Equal attention must be given to all data in both physical and psychological spheres if the patient's best interests are to be served.