Inhalation sedation ("happy air")
For anxious children and some adults. You breathe a mix of nitrous oxide and oxygen through a small nose-piece and feel calm and floaty. It wears off within minutes.
NHS where clinically needed
Home / Nervous patients
No judgement. Not ever.
Around half of adults in the UK feel anxious about the dentist, and plenty of children do too. Whether it's been six months or sixteen years, we'll go at your pace and you stay in control.
Fig. 10 · A chat before the chair · model photo
Small things that make a big difference.
A chat first, no chair
Your first visit can be a 60-minute "nervous first visit": we talk in the consultation room before you go anywhere near the chair.
A stop signal
Raise your hand and we stop. Straight away, every time, no questions.
Tell, show, do
We explain each step and show you the instrument before we use it. No surprises.
Numbing gel first
We numb the gum with gel before any injection, and wait until you're properly numb.
Headphones and ceiling TV
Bring your own music or podcasts, or watch something on the screen above the chair.
Quiet times
First-thing appointments with no waiting room, dimmed lights and fewer sounds.
One minute of slow breathing.
Breathe in for four, out for six. Slow breathing out can help your body settle. Try it in the waiting room, or now.
Ready?
Extra help, when it's right for you.
Sedation is only offered where clinically suitable, after an assessment appointment. It isn't a general anaesthetic: you stay awake and able to respond.
Sedation in detailIV sedation (adults)
A medicine given through a small cannula in your hand makes you deeply relaxed. You'll need someone to take you home and stay with you.
Private from £295 · example pricing
Things people ask quietly.
Book a nervous first visitIt's been years. Will you tell me off?
No. We see people every week who haven't been for a long time. We'll just start from where you are.
Can I just come and look around first?
Yes. Call and ask for Daniel or Megan. You can visit, meet the team and see the surgery with no treatment at all.
I'm embarrassed about my teeth.
Please don't be. Nothing you show us will shock us, and nobody here will judge you.
Can I bring someone with me?
Of course. A friend or family member can sit with you throughout.
My child is scared because I am. What do I do?
Very common. Try not to share your worries in front of them, use our "read it together" first-visit guide, and let our team lead the visit.