The episode, and particularly its treatment of rape, has been discussed in books of essays on "Veronica Mars" and elsewhere. Victoria E. Thomas, writing for "In Media Res", opined that Veronica frequently distances herself from her rape, noting a scene in the pilot in which she states, "I'm no longer that girl." She regarded "A Trip to the Dentist" as a way for Veronica to heal from her rape, writing "Her healing is tied to finding out who raped her; a simple solution to a complex issue. This choice could mirror our present day stigma and lack of support for survivors of sexual assault, or it could simply allow the producers to erase her identity as a sexual assault survivor, leading the audience to believe that the strength of the character is not tied to her rape."