Nervous Patients

The main reason adults give for putting off visiting the dentist is not lack of time or concern about costs, but fear. Approximately one in six patients is nervous about dental appointments and for some that fear is so intense that it is classed as dental phobia, which can cause panic attacks and severe anxiety at even the thought of a trip to the surgery.

At The Harley Street Dental Clinic in London, we specialise in attending to patients who suffer from dental phobia. Our highly experienced specialists will take the time to talk through your fears in a relaxed and comfortable environment, and will explain any treatments and analgesia requirements in depth. We also devise signals so that you can tell us if you need a break during treatment, and offer in-chair entertainment such as listening to music or an audiobook or watching your favourite film.

For some patients, treatment under sedation is the best and most appealing offer. We offer relative analgesia (RA Sedation), sometimes called inhalation sedation, which involves breathing in a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen, helping you to relax. You will remain conscious at all times but will be largely unaware of your treatment and will experience no discomfort. There are no unpleasant side effects and you will be able to drive home after RA sedation. RA Sedation is available in all of our dentists' treatment rooms.

We also offer intravenous sedation under the care of a consultant anaesthetist, and have all the facilities necessary to carry this out, as the procedure does carry a small risk so must only be undertaken by a fully-qualified anaesthetist. If you opt for IV sedation, you will need a friend or family member to take you home and keep an eye on you overnight afterwards, as you will still be drowsy.

Mr Michael Rootes

What delighted me throughout the whole process was at no time did I feel any pain.