Story perspectives

Nurse Conquers Dental Phobia with Expert Help

10/27/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Kathy Machuga, an ICU nurse with severe dental phobia, travels 270 miles to see Dr. Louis Siegelman.
Dr. Louis Siegelman treats anxious patients and offers sedation.
Psychologist Luana Marques notes phobias affect about 33 million American adults and often require exposure therapy; many people overcome with proper support.
Beards (pogonophobia) and dolphins (delphinophobia) illustrate unusual phobias, and about 10% have some phobia, with 2% experiencing extreme cases.

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Story summary

Kathy Machuga, an ICU nurse with severe dental phobia, travels 270 miles to see Dr. Louis Siegelman.
Dr. Louis Siegelman treats anxious patients and offers sedation.
Psychologist Luana Marques notes phobias affect about 33 million American adults and often require exposure therapy; many people overcome with proper support.
Beards (pogonophobia) and dolphins (delphinophobia) illustrate unusual phobias, and about 10% have some phobia, with 2% experiencing extreme cases.