Dear Abby: I am writing to you because I can share this anonymously. I am close to 60 years old and I'm terrified of the dentist. Every time I pick up the phone to make an appointment I get so anxious I feel like I'm going to die.

Do you think I will be able to find a caring, compassionate and nonjudgmental dentist? Are they out there? Sometimes I wish I could die instead of going to the dentist. Am I crazy? – Mrs. Anxiety in the U.S.A.

Dear Mrs. Anxiety: Let me put it this way – if you're crazy, you have a lot of company. Many people fear going to the dentist. However, there have been improvements in the field since you were a child – including sedation for people who choose "not to be there" while their dental problems are being attended to.