There’s something uniquely vulnerable about opening your mouth in a dentist’s chair.
Maybe it’s the surrender of control, the inability to speak, or memories of past discomfort. For many of us, dental visits rank among our most dreaded experiences — sometimes so much so that we’d rather endure pain than make that appointment.
But what if going to the dentist didn’t have to be something you dread?
What if it could actually become a healing, supportive experience?
Today, I’m excited to share insights from a groundbreaking collaboration with Dr. Leedia Riman, a UCLA-trained dentist who’s revolutionizing the way we think about dental care by combining biological dentistry with powerful emotional wellness tools.
Through our work together creating specialized Tapping meditations for The Tapping Solution App, Dr. Leedia has shown us that dental visits can be transformed from moments of fear into opportunities for healing.
Meet Dr. Leedia Riman
Dr. Leedia Riman is a UCLA-trained, board-certified dentist pioneering a holistic and integrative approach to dental health. She combines biological dentistry with powerful emotional wellness tools like sound therapy, frequency medicine, hypnotherapy, and Tapping to support nervous system regulation and root-cause healing. Her work highlights the vital connection between oral health and overall wellbeing.
Dr. Leedia believes that true healing begins in the mouth and radiates throughout the whole body. Her compassionate and innovative approach goes far beyond brushing and flossing, recognizing how nutrition, lifestyle habits, and emotional health all play key roles in lasting vitality.
She’s especially passionate about supporting women through hormonal transitions and helping children build lifelong oral and systemic health from the very beginning. Learn more at www.elev8care.com.
Why Dental Visits Feel So Vulnerable
When we’re in the dentist’s chair, we’re in a position of complete surrender. We can’t speak, we can’t see what’s happening, and we’re trusting someone else with a very intimate part of our body.
So let’s start by acknowledging something important: there’s something innately vulnerable about opening your mouth at the dentist.
Dr. Leedia has found that many people come to holistic dental practices carrying years of dental trauma. Some have avoided the dentist for so long that small issues have become major problems — all because the fear of getting help felt more overwhelming than the pain itself.
The Mind-Body Connection in Dental Health (and Why Tapping Can Help)
True healing begins in the mouth and radiates throughout the whole body.
This isn’t just about teeth and gums; it’s about understanding how our emotional state impacts our physical health. When we’re stressed or fearful, our bodies tense up, our immune systems are compromised, and healing slows down. But when we’re calm and relaxed, our bodies can do what they do best: heal and restore.
This is where the combination of Tapping and dentistry becomes so powerful. By using Tapping before, during, and after dental procedures, we can:
- Calm our nervous system
- Release stored trauma and fear
- Improve our body’s healing response
- Transform our relationship with dental care
How to Make Your Dental Visit a Safer, More Healing Experience
Dr. Leedia’s approach offers several strategies for transforming your dental experience:
1. Use Tapping Before Your Appointment
By releasing stress and anxiety before you even arrive at the dentist’s office, you set yourself up for a calmer, more positive experience. The Pre-Dental Procedure Support meditation helps you prepare both mentally and physically for the best possible outcomes.
2. Find a Dentist Who Will Work With You
Look for dental professionals who understand dental anxiety and are willing to create a more healing experience. Many holistic dentists, like Dr. Leedia, design their practices specifically to feel safe and supportive, allowing you to take breaks when needed and move at a pace that works for you.
When searching, look for terms like “biological dentist,” “holistic dentist,” or “integrative dentist.” The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) at iaomt.org also has a practitioner directory that can help you find someone in your area.
Once you’ve found a potential fit, don’t be afraid to ask questions before committing: Are they experienced with anxious patients? Do they explain what they’re doing before they do it? The right dentist will welcome these questions — and if they don’t, that’s useful information too.
3. Support Your Body During the Procedure
Visualize yourself feeling calm and relaxed in the chair. Remember that you’re surrounded by support and that this procedure is serving your greater health and wellbeing. You can even tap while in the dentist’s chair! Try Tapping on the side of the hand point while visualizing something soothing, or repeating calming affirmations to yourself.
4. Trust Your Body to Heal
Your oral tissue is some of the quickest to heal in the entire body! — Dr. Leedia Riman
Your body knows how to heal. By maintaining a calm, positive state and trusting in it, you support your body’s natural healing abilities.
Tap Your Way to a Better Dental Experience
I’m thrilled to share that we’ve created two powerful Tapping meditations with Dr. Leedia, now available in The Tapping Solution App:
Dental Support Collection
- Pre-Dental Procedure Support — Release pre-procedure anxiety, prepare your mind and body for optimal outcomes, and feel calm and confident before your appointment
- Dental Emergency Support — Process shock and overwhelm, regulate your nervous system, and move into a healing state quickly during unexpected dental crises
Both meditations are available now in The Tapping Solution App. View the full Dental Support Collection →
“I have successfully used them in the last weeks after a dental emergency! I have a very difficult relationship with dentistry, after having adverse reactions to anesthesia as a child… It especially helped me that she validates the feelings so much before working on letting them go step by step. And I like the casual facts she throws in between, it’s reassuring. I also like the focus on the benefits for the long-term health and bigger picture.”
— D
A New Approach to Dental Health
What Dr. Leedia teaches us is revolutionary yet simple: We don’t have to be victims of our dental fears.
By combining the wisdom of holistic health with tools like Tapping, we can transform one of our most dreaded experiences into an opportunity for healing and growth.
Your feelings about dental care are valid — and with the right tools and support, you can heal old traumas and create new, positive associations.
Remember:
- You have more control over your dental experience than you might think
- Your body is incredibly resilient and knows how to heal
- Every step toward addressing your dental health, no matter how small, is a choice of courage over fear
Start Your Healing Journey Today
Whether you have a dental appointment coming up or you’re working to overcome years of dental anxiety, know that change is possible. You deserve to receive dental care in a way that feels safe, supportive, and healing.
Learn More with Dr. Leedia
To dive deeper into Dr. Leedia’s holistic approach to dental health and explore her innovative practice, visit her website at www.elev8care.com. There you can explore a wealth of resources, insights, and information about creating a more healing dental experience.
I’m deeply grateful to Dr. Leedia for bringing her wisdom and compassion to these Tapping meditations. Her message that dental care can be a healing experience is one that has the power to transform millions of lives.
Until next time… Keep Tapping!
Jessica Ortner