I hate going to the dentist, and I know I'm not alone. Unfortunately after a certain age you have to go regularly or all your teeth rot and you have to have dentures, and that makes it difficult to look cool at parties. So the key is to find a dentist that makes the experience as pleasant as possible.
I am super lucky I found Lisbeth Steen in Hamden, Connecticut. (On Whitney Ave., 10 minutes north of New Haven). Her practice is quite busy, so you sometimes have to wait a while for appointments. Other than that though, it's a great place. All the dental techs are really nice and do things like hold your hand while you are getting anaesthetic shots. So far she's done a few cavities and I'm very happy with the work. Rather than just lecturing you, they are also good at really trying to educate you about how to take better care of your teeth. I think most people are probably embarassed to ask about the right way to brush and things like that, but you should. You'd be suprised. Did you know you should hold the brush head at a 45 degree angle to your teeth for example? Most people just scrub at a right angle and can actually wear down their gums that way.
Anyway, I've had a great experience. If you need a dentist in the mid coast Connecticut area, give her a try.
The phone number for her office is 203 230 8787.