[A patient with dissociative identity disorder].

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Dentistry
• Psychology

Background:

• Dental anxiety is a common issue.
• Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a complex mental health condition characterized by multiple distinct personality states.
• The interplay between DID and dental anxiety requires specialized therapeutic approaches.

Observation:

• A 33-year-old woman with a history of dental anxiety and diagnosed dissociative identity disorder (DID) sought treatment.
• The patient was referred for anxiety therapy at a special care dentistry center.
• Her DID presented challenges in both dental treatment and anxiety therapy due to personality switching.

Findings:

• Schema therapy was employed at a Dutch mental healthcare facility to address the patient's dental anxiety.
• The therapeutic approach aimed to manage the complexities arising from her dissociative identity disorder.
• Progress was made in managing dental anxiety despite the challenges posed by DID.

Implications:

• This case highlights the importance of integrated care for patients with co-occurring mental health conditions and dental phobias.
• Schema therapy shows potential in managing dental anxiety in individuals with dissociative identity disorder.
• Further research is warranted to explore effective therapeutic strategies for this patient population.