Snuggle-ready dogs comfort anxious patients at dental offices, but some patients worry about the risks, from slobber to nips. North Carolina is thought to be the first state with regulations to ensure the dogs are appropriately trained.
“Our whole goal was to make sure the dogs are safe,” White said. “There’s a lot of difference between a facility dog that has special training and a person who goes on the Internet, buys a vest and puts it on a Chihuahua.”The Animal Legal and Historical Center at Michigan State searched laws and regulations in all 50 states for Kaiser Health News and found that only Virginia, New Jersey, and Georgia specifically prohibit animals in dental facilities.
Atkins, who is 6 years old, received 600 hours of training from Paws4people. She and Kucera then trained together for an additional 50 hours. There was no charge for Kucera to get Atkins, but she had to commit to raise $10,000 for the foundation. Although Atkins lives with Kucera, she is owned by Paws4people.On the days Atkins works at Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry, a sign in the reception area alerts patients that a dog is on duty.
For the youngest patients, Atkins jumps into the dental chair and models behavior. She gets her own clip-on napkin and holds her mouth open while Kucera checks her teeth with a mirror. When patients want Atkins in their laps, Kucera uses a disposable drape to create a barrier between the patient’s clothing and the dog so the patient doesn’t go home covered with dog hair. She said that she’s never had a problem with Atkins disturbing a dentist’s work and that many families request the pooch for every appointment.This article was produced by
, a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, which is an endowed nonprofit organization that provides information on health issues to the nation.
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