Anxious Patients

At Wellington Dental Practice, we understand that dentistry can be a daunting aspect of healthcare for many patients. We are all approachable, friendly and caring and we all wish for you to be able to have the smile you desire without the anxiety associated with treatments.

We exercise gentle care and attention with all our patients and can build up your confidence over time. We will ease you into treatment, giving you maximum control of the situation. You need only raise a hand if you wish to have a break at any point.

Feel free to bring along a friend or family member to attend with you, we always have a spare chair in our surgeries for a friendly face to help ease your environment. For treatments, if you like, you can bring in headphones and “zone out” with a good audiobook or your favourite music.

We can only offer IV sedation with Mr Andrew Armstrong for oral surgery, dental implants and difficult extractions such as impacted wisdom teeth. IV sedation is not available for any routine dental procedures such as fillings or routine extractions.

What is sedation?
Sedation involves a small tube in your arm or hand which gently releases the sedative, allowing you to relax in the surgery. The sedative does not “knock you out”, rather it calms your fears and relaxes your mind. You do not lose consciousness in this time, you are awake and responsive, and you will always have a friend or family member with you at all times throughout your treatment, so you can rest assured.

Is everyone suitable for sedation?
Many patients are fine with sedation, however not everyone is suitable; you will need an assessment with Mr Armstrong initially to decide if general practice is an appropriate location for your sedation. If not, we can refer you to a local provider who can carry out your treatment safely and efficiently.

How does sedation feel?
Conscious sedation (to use the full term) feels to you like you are at ease. It also provides a level of amnesia (memory loss). This means that an hour’s appointment may only feel like a couple of minutes. Although you are conscious at the time and able to answer questions coherently and confidently, you may not be able to remember doing so once the sedation wears off.

After treatment you may still feel a little sleepy, so we always insist on a friend or family member to escort you home and stay with you for the rest of the day.

At Wellington Dental Practice, we pride ourselves on being open, honest and approachable. We never want our patients to feel intimidated around us. We understand that past experiences can really shape your confidence and wish to remedy that wherever possible. Never be embarrassed to let us know if you need a bit more help to manage your anxiety.