HARRISBURG, N.C. — Going to the dentist can be a lot of things: expensive, scary and stressful.
But one Harrisburg dentist office is hoping to relieve those issues with the help of man's best friend. When you make an appointment at Smile Cabarrus, you'll meet Atkins the dental dog.
Atkins is a service dog that's been trained by the paws4people Foundation, whose mission is to educate and empower people to use assistance dogs to transform their lives. She's a natural at helping patients relax when they go in for a dental procedure.
Eden West says she always had a hard time with the dentist until she met Atkins.
"Sometimes I was really scared to come because whenever I was younger it hurt to get my teeth cleaned," she said.
But now with Atkins, she has a furry companion by her said. Atkins even goes so far to give demonstrations and lets the hygienists check her teeth.
"It's nice to know that when she does come back here now, she has a friend like Atkins that can sit with her and keep her calm," said Eden's father.
