Tapping, or EFT (emotional freedom techniques) tapping, is a stress-relief technique that is often used to relieve dental anxiety. As many as 30% of patients report feeling anxious when going to the dentist, but for many people, sedation dentistry is simply not an option. Tapping takes just minutes and can be done at home or in the office with zero side effects. The concept behind EFT tapping is that certain acupressure points on the body, usually the head and upper torso, are “tapped” with the fingers at the same time the individual repeats a self-acceptance phrase. The phrase typically acknowledges the anxiety, such as the sound of a dental drill causing stress, and affirms acceptance regardless of the issue creating the anxious feelings. Beyond relieving dental anxiety, tapping can be used to relieve chronic or general anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), situational anxiety surrounding public speaking or test-taking, and more.