Faculty Practice: Dental Fears

Scope of Practice

Established in 1982, the Dental Fears Research Clinic at the University of Washington has provided service to thousands of patients in the State of Washington and around the world. Our mission is to provide comprehensive care to individuals who are fearful of receiving dental treatment. Using combinations of both behavioral and pharmacological methods, our staff works together with patients to address patients' fears and provide quality dental care.

Our clinic consists of dentists, psychologists, hygienists, assistants, and administrative staff who all share the same goal of providing a supportive and understanding environment for our patients.

Providers:

Tar Chee Aw, DDS, MS

Dr. Aw holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from the University of Bristol (1986), a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree (1990), an Advanced Education in General Dentistry certificate (1991), both from Northwestern University; a General Practice Residency certificate from Cornell University (1993), and a Master of Science degree in Restorative Dentistry from the University of Michigan (1996).

Dr. Philip Weinstein is a Professor of Dental Public Health Sciences and Adjunct Professor of Pediatric Dentistry and Psychology at the University of Washington. He is the Director of the Dental Behavioral Science Research Program at the University of Washington and co-Director of the Dental Fears Research clinic, where he maintains a private practice.

Dr. Weinstein has been an active NIH-funded investigator his entire career. While his past research has studied dental fear and pain, his present focus is the prevention and control of caries in children. He has published over 150 articles and four books (three with Peter Milgrom). His current sponsored research includes a large randomized clinical trial of massive doses of fluoride varnish and a recent ground-breaking study of motivational techniques to prevent caries. Two year results of this study with 240 high risk children comparing a brief counseling technique to traditional health education show a 50% reduction in caries incidence.

As a result of his research and clinical experiences Dr. Weinstein has written a new book, Motivate Your Dental Patients, in 2002. Since then Dr. Weinstein has provided 26 Continuing Education courses on this topic and is a consultant for Health Canada- First Nations and Inuit Division. He had received a Mombusho award from the Japanese government (he frequently lectures and consults in Japan) and a community service award from the University of Washington.

Dr. Peter Milgrom

Dr. Peter Milgrom is Professor of Dental Public Health Sciences and Adjunct Professor of Health Services at the University of Washington. He directs the Northwest/Alaska Center to Reduce Oral Health Disparities at the University of Washington. He maintains a dental practice limited to the care of fearful patients. Dr. Milgrom's current sponsored work includes research on the application of xylitol in public health settings related to caries and otitis, the cost effectiveness of community based interventions for preventive dental care, pharmacokinetics of short acting benzodiazepines, and studies of cognitive interventions in pediatric and adult dental fear.

In conjunction with the Pacific Basin Dental Association, Dr. Milgrom directs a program in the Western Pacific to improve Head Start dental services. Dr. Milgrom is author or co-author of 5 books and over 200 scientific articles. His book (with Philip Weinstein), Early Childhood Caries: A Team Approach to Prevention and Treatment, was released in 1999.

In 1999, and again in 2000, Dr. Milgrom's work was recognized by the Giddon Award for research in the behavioral sciences in Dentistry. Dr. Milgrom was the Distinguished Dental Behavioral Scientist of the International Association for Dental Research for 1999. He received the Barrows Milk Award from IADR in 2000, recognizing his work for public health including the development of the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) program in Washington State. In 2003, Dr. Milgrom received a Special Commendation Award from the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association and the University of Washington Medical Center Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award.

In 2005, Dr. Milgrom was appointed the SAAD Visiting Professor of Pain and Anxiety Control at the University of London, UK. Dr. Milgrom received his DDS from the University of California, San Francisco in 1972 and had a previous position at the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine.