After treating a patient named Anna, Sharonne Zaks saw the power relationship with her patients differently. She developed a new branch of dentistry to help care for survivors of sexual assault

Sharonne Zaks grew up in a family of dentists, and when she too became a dentist, she developed an empathetic relationship with her patients, never judging them even if they'd avoided the dentist for years.

After some years, a patient named Anna profoundly changed Sharonne's understanding of a patient's experience in the dentist's chair.

She realised that for those who've been through a sexual assault or trauma, the extreme powerlessness of being treated at the dentist can be highly triggering.

Sharonne undertook study into the area, and began a new regime to treat survivors in her own practice.

She then began explaining what she'd found about the power dynamic between dentist and patient, to her own profession.

Further information

Watch Sharonne's video about finding a dentist you can trust

See all Sharonne's videos

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