▁emot ional ▁reaction ▁to ▁one ▁or ▁more ▁specific ▁threaten ing ▁stim uli ▁in ▁the ▁dent al ▁situation . ▁However , ▁dent al ▁anx iety ▁is ▁indic ative ▁of ▁a ▁state ▁of ▁app reh ension ▁that ▁something ▁dread ful ▁is ▁going ▁to ▁happen ▁in ▁relation ▁to ▁dent al ▁treatment , ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁usually ▁couple d ▁with ▁a ▁sense ▁of ▁losing ▁control . ▁Similarly , ▁dent al ▁ph ob ia ▁denotes ▁a ▁severe ▁type ▁of ▁dent al ▁anx iety , ▁and ▁is ▁character ised ▁by ▁marked ▁and ▁persistent ▁anx iety ▁in ▁relation ▁to ▁either ▁clearly ▁disc ern ible ▁situations ▁or ▁objects ▁( e . g . ▁dr illing , ▁local ▁an a est h etic ▁in jections ) ▁or ▁to ▁the ▁dent al ▁setting ▁in ▁general . ▁The ▁term ▁‘ d ental ▁fear ▁and ▁anx iety ’ ▁( DF A ) ▁is ▁often ▁used ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁strong ▁negative ▁feelings ▁associated ▁with ▁dent al ▁treatment ▁among ▁children , ▁ad oles c ents ▁and ▁adult s , ▁whether ▁or ▁not ▁the ▁criteria ▁for ▁a ▁diagn osis ▁of ▁dent al ▁ph ob ia ▁are ▁met . ▁D ental ▁ph ob ia ▁can ▁include ▁fear ▁of ▁dent al ▁procedures , ▁dent al ▁environment ▁or ▁setting , ▁fear ▁of ▁dent al ▁instruments ▁or ▁fear ▁of ▁the ▁dent ist ▁as ▁a ▁person . ▁People ▁with ▁dent al ▁ph ob ia ▁often ▁avoid ▁the ▁dent ist ▁and ▁neglect ▁or al ▁health , ▁which ▁may ▁lead ▁to ▁pain ful ▁dent al ▁problems ▁and ▁ultimately ▁force ▁a ▁visit ▁to ▁the ▁dent ist