- term ▁treatment ▁of ▁the ▁ph ob ia , ▁since ▁many ▁return ▁to ▁a ▁pattern ▁of ▁treatment ▁avoid ance ▁afterwards . ▁Psych ological ▁approaches ▁are ▁more ▁effective ▁at ▁maintain ing ▁regular ▁dent al ▁care , ▁but ▁demand ▁more ▁knowledge ▁from ▁the ▁dent ist ▁and ▁motiv ation ▁from ▁the ▁patient ▁ ▁Similarly , ▁dist raction ▁techniques ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁util ised ▁to ▁di vert ▁the ▁patient ' s ▁attention ▁to ▁allow ▁them ▁to ▁avoid ▁supposed ▁neg ativity ▁and ▁be ▁more ▁comfortable . ▁This ▁can ▁be ▁achieved ▁through ▁television ▁or ▁mov ies , ▁or ▁a ▁physical ▁dist raction ▁such ▁as ▁foc using ▁on ▁another ▁body ▁part ▁such ▁as ▁w igg ling ▁the ▁to es ▁or ▁fingers . ▁ ▁Psych oc ogn itive ▁ ▁Mod elling ▁ ▁Mod elling ▁is ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁ps y cho - be hav iour al ▁ther apy ▁used ▁to ▁alle vi ate ▁dent al ▁fear . ▁Comm only ▁used ▁in ▁pa ed iat ric ▁dent istry , ▁it ▁involves ▁the ▁showing ▁of ▁a ▁procedure ▁under ▁a ▁sim ulated ▁environment . ▁It ▁allows ▁the ▁patient ▁to ▁observe ▁the ▁behaviour ▁of ▁a ▁friend ,   ▁family ▁member , ▁or ▁other ▁patient ▁when ▁put ▁in ▁a ▁similar ▁situation , ▁therefore , ▁accommod ating ▁for ▁the ▁learning ▁of ▁new ▁cop ing ▁mechan isms . ▁Mod elling ▁can ▁be ▁presented ▁live ▁using ▁a ▁parent ▁or ▁actor ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁virt ually ▁through ▁pre - record ed ▁films . ▁ ▁Tell - Show - Do ▁ ▁Tell - show - do ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁non -