Sedation & anxious patients

Tell us you're afraid. That's the whole conversation.

About one adult in six avoids the dentist because of fear, and most of them have a specific story behind it — a dentist who did not stop when they raised a hand, a childhood extraction, a shaming comment. We ask about that at the first visit, we write it in your notes, and every person who treats you reads it before you sit down.

Book a talk-only visit Ask a question first

A calm, softly lit treatment room with a blanket on the chair

Plate 19 · 4:3.4 · Quiet room

Start here

The talk-only first visit.

You can book an appointment at this practice where nothing goes in your mouth. You sit in a normal chair in a normal room, fully upright, and we talk about what you are worried about and what you would like to change. No instruments on the tray, no bib, no X-rays unless you want them that day.

Plenty of people need two or three of these before they are ready for an examination. That is a perfectly reasonable pace and it does not cost extra.

No instrumentsFully uprightStop any time$0

What we do differently

A stop signal that works. Raise your left hand and everything stops immediately — instruments out, chair up. We test it before we start.
Narration, or silence. Some people want every step described. Others want us to say nothing at all. You choose at the start.
Longer appointments. Anxious patients get extra time booked so nobody is rushing you.
Morning slots. First appointment of the day means no waiting-room build-up.
Noise-cancelling headphones and a weighted blanket, on the chair before you arrive.

Three levels

From mildly softened to no memory at all.

You do not have to decide now. We will recommend a level, you can go lighter than we suggest, and you can change your mind on the day.

	Nitrous oxide	Oral sedation	IV sedation
How it is given	Gas through a nose mask	A tablet, one hour before	Titrated into a vein
You stay awake	Yes, fully	Drowsy but rousable	Barely aware
Memory of the visit	Full	Patchy	Usually none
Driver required	No	Yes	Yes
Wears off in	5 minutes	Rest of the day	Rest of the day
Best for	Mild nerves, gag reflex	Moderate fear, long visits	Severe phobia, surgery
Fee	$85	$225	$650 first hour

IV sedation is administered by a licensed dental anesthesia provider, with Dr. Okafor holding an Arizona IV sedation permit. Blood pressure, pulse and oxygen saturation are monitored continuously and a second trained team member is present for the whole appointment.

Safety

Sedation is very safe in healthy adults, and the risks rise with certain conditions. We review your full medical history and current medications before approving any level above nitrous, and we will decline if it is not appropriate — including if that means sending you to a hospital dental service instead.

Continuous pulse oximetry
Blood pressure every 5 minutes
Reversal agents on site
Team ACLS-certified

Tell us about sleep apnoea, heart or lung conditions, pregnancy, and every medication including supplements and anything you take recreationally. We are not going to judge it and it genuinely changes what is safe.

Before an oral or IV appointment

Nothing to eat for six hours, clear fluids until two hours before
Take your usual morning medication with a sip of water unless told otherwise
Bring an adult who can drive you home and stay with you
Flat shoes, loose sleeves, no nail polish on one finger
No alcohol for 24 hours beforehand

Afterwards

Plan to do nothing for the rest of the day. No driving, no work decisions, no childcare on your own. Most people sleep for a few hours and feel normal by the following morning. We call you that evening to check.

I sat in the parking lot for twenty minutes before my first appointment. They let me come in, sit in a normal chair, and leave without opening my mouth. Six months later I finished two crowns.

Priya T.Sedation patient · Dec 2025

Tell us you're afraid. That's the whole conversation.

The talk-only first visit.

From mildly softened to no memory at all.

Safety

Before an oral or IV appointment

Afterwards

Ready when you are.

Book a visit.

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