As dentists, we all meet patients everyday who are scared stiff of what they are about to experience in the dentist chair. Well, I'm proud to say, "I make a specialty of helping patients who are afraid of dentists!" Believe it or not, many patients find a dental appointment with me can be a relaxing experience .even enjoyable!

I'm a great believer in alternative therapies and I use Reikí in my practice to calm patients' fears and help them relax. You may not be familiar with Reikí, so let me explain-it's not voodoo.

Reikí is a technique that allows everyone to tap into an unlimited supply of "life force energy" to improve health and enhance the quality of life. The knowledge that an unseen energy flows through all living things and is connected directly to the quality of health has been part of the wisdom of many cultures since ancient times. The existence of this energy has been verified by scientific experiments, and many doctors and dentists now consider the role it plays in the functioning of the immune system and the healing process to be of great value.

Reikí is a simple, natural, and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement that everyone can use. Reikí treatments feel like a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through you. Reikí treats the whole person including: body, emotions, mind and spirit, and creates many beneficial effects including relaxation. When used in dentistry, Reikí naturally relaxes the body and calms feelings of anxiety. As a Reikí Master, I can transfer this beneficial energy to a patient before or during their dental treatment to relieve anxiety. Patients tell me they feel a sense of peace, security, and well being making their dental visit a more pleasant experience than they ever expected.

Reikí affects different people in different ways. As well as relaxation, it can be beneficial for insomnia, stress, headaches, neck stiffness, depression and pain. Use of Reikí releases the numbness associated with freezing after treatment is completed-patients can actually articulate!

Here are a few cases where the use of Reikí made a real difference: An 11-year-old girl suffering emotional and dental trauma after a car accident needed a root canal and a broken tooth repaired. On her first visit, she could not be treated because of severe stress. On her second visit, I applied "hands-on" Reikí treatment before proceeding and was able to complete the work with no problems.

On several occasions I have treated adults who had suffered childhood traumas. In each case the front teeth were involved. With application of Reikí, the original trauma was visualized and then released, allowing successful treatment and healing. Healing is promoted in a state of silence as the body begins to heal itself. Reikí boosts the body's energy into balance so the healing can take place.

Reikí cannot be "switched off", the energy continues to flow from my hands while I work on the patient-some actually fall asleep! I've had an occasion where three patients in a row fell asleep. This is because Reikí creates a feeling of harmony in the environment where it's practiced. Relaxed patients develop a natural feeling of trust.

Recently, while traveling, a companion complained of a severe toothache for which she had been taking painkillers for two months. After 15 minutes of Reikí, the pain went away for five days without painkillers. A root canal was performed immediately upon return to Canada.

It's natural to be skeptical when hearing about treatments that seem to defy medical reasoning. In the very beginning, I was skeptical myself! But after trying Reikí on a few patients, I noticed something-the patient's mood would change. One, who had arrived in a bad mood, said she felt like laughing and dancing after the treatment. We were both amazed and I've been using Reikí ever since.


About the Author
Dr. Pirjo Friedman, D.D.S., was born in Finland and now practices in the Yorkville area of Toronto, Canada. She is a believer in natural therapies and the most modern dental techniques-used in her practice every day. She believes a patient should be able to relax during dental work. She is a past President of the North Toronto Dental Society and President of the Women Entrepreneurs of Canada.