Nearly three-quarters (73%) of U.S. adults fear going to the dentist, according to the results of a study in the September issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association. The results from a related study published earlier in the month in the journal Oral suggest these fears have their root in earlier traumatic trips to the dentist, often as a child or teenager. “A better understanding of dental fear - and how to increase access to effective treatments for it - holds promise for improving oral and overall health,” researcher Richard Heyman, a professor in the NYU Dentistry Center for Oral Health Policy and Management, said.