If you experience even the slightest amount of stress or anxiety about dental care, let this review serve as a warning: do not book an appointment with Dr. Laura Sasic Lalich.
I am 33 years old and five months pregnant. I have severe dental anxiety stemming from traumatic experiences with dental care throughout my life. Going to the dentist is the only situation that causes me to have panic attacks. Even booking an appointment can result in sleepless nights, crying, hyperventilation, and heart palpitations. It is extremely distressing and has led to a pattern of avoiding dental care until I have an urgent problem.
I was referred to Dr. Laura after developing dental and gum complications exacerbated by pregnancy. The purpose of this appointment was to determine what was wrong and whether treatment could safely wait until after I give birth or if anything required more immediate attention. The administrative staff and dental assistants were kind and professional. Unfortunately, my interaction with Dr. Laura could not have been more different.
I explained my history and the severity of my dental anxiety to Dr. Laura. I also explained that, when I am not pregnant, my PCP will typically prescribe a single dose of Valium to help me tolerate dental appointments. I was not asking Dr. Laura to prescribe anything. Nevertheless, she immediately dismissed what I shared, stating that she does not "believe in being medicated" for "those types of things."
During the exam and X-rays, I began having a panic attack. In my previous experiences, dental professionals have been able to recognize my visible physical distress and allow me a brief break. Dr. Laura, however, ignored my visible distress and continued giving me instructions and commands. Because her hands were in my mouth, I could not communicate what was happening. I eventually had no choice but to sit up, repeatedly apologize for the "disruption," and ask for a break.
After I requested a break multiple times without receiving any meaningful response, I stated that I needed to go outside for fresh air. Once the panic attack subsided, I returned and allowed her to finish the examination. Afterward, Dr. Laura reviewed the X-rays but did not meaningfully explain her recommended treatment plan or answer the central question that brought me there. Instead, she asked my age and stated, "My advice is that, at your age, you need to just get over this." When I asked whether she had ever had a patient experience a panic attack, she said yes and then promptly reminded me that she is "not a psychiatrist." She also told me I needed to "learn to sit in the chair and behave."
A healthcare professional telling a visibly distressed, pregnant patient with a disclosed trauma history to "get over it" and "behave" is not merely insensitive. It is demeaning, callous, and profoundly unprofessional. I was not asking her to prescribe medication, provide therapy, hold my hand, coddle me, or excuse inappropriate behavior. I was asking for basic human decency: acknowledgment that I was experiencing genuine distress and a brief opportunity to regain my composure. Instead, I was treated as though my panic attack were an irritating behavioral problem and as though I were a misbehaving child rather than an adult patient seeking help. Her complete lack of empathy was disturbing.
I ultimately left before the conclusion of the appointment without receiving a clear explanation of the treatment plan I came there to discuss. The experience was humiliating, degrading, and a complete nightmare. I would not recommend Dr. Laura to anyone. Not only those with dental anxiety, panic attacks, or dental trauma, but also anyone with the perfectly reasonable expectation that their healthcare provider will treat them like a human being rather than an inconvenience.
Thank you, Dr. Laura, for reinforcing every fear that made it so difficult for me to seek dental care in the first place and for adding yet another traumatic dental experience to the list! read more
