Sedation

At our surgery, we understand that some patients struggle with nervousness and anxiety over their visits to the dentist. Our calm and professional team are here to support your dental care, and help you get the treatment you deserve.

We have various methods of ensuring your visit is as free from stress, and as comfortable as possible, and one of the main ways we can do that is with sedation.

We offer intravenous sedation for patients who suffer with nerves or anxiety at the dental surgery, or because of treatment that they need. It is ideal for patients who struggle with nerves and anxiety as it is given before any treatment starts. It enables patients to feel relaxed enough to get through treatment without distress. In fact, most patients don’t remember their visit at all, despite being in complete control and able to communicate with us during treatment.

The Sedation Process

Visit 1

During your first visit with us our friendly reception staff will sign you in, and then you’ll have your consultation with the dentist. They will discuss the treatment you need, why you want sedation for it, and then take your blood pressure and oxygen levels to check you are suitable. Please note that we only provide sedation to patients aged 16 or over.

This is also the ideal time to ask any questions you may have about the sedation, or your treatment. Once the consultation is complete we will ask you to pay your deposit in full, and to sign some forms. We will also make the appointment for your sedation and treatment. During this time, we will also advise you that you must have an escort with you over the age of 18 when you come to your sedation appointment.

Visit 2

When you arrive with your escort, we will check you in and then you will be led into surgery by our friendly team whilst your escort waits in our comfortable waiting room. The sedation will be given, and treatment will be carried out once you are comfortable and fully sedated.

Sedation Guidance & Information

We will provide you with all of this information at our dental surgery, but for you additional reference:

• Patients must not drink or eat anything 2 hours before their appointment
• Private transport must be arranged to take the patient home after sedation (including private taxis with your escort).
• If public transport is listed as an option, then treatment cannot go ahead and we will refund your deposit.
• No makeup, nail varnish or false nails should be worn on the day of the appointment
• As patients may need assistance walking, we ask escorts to please wear comfortable clothes i.e. no high heels
• You can take routine medication before your appointment unless advised not to by the anaesthetist or dentist
• Escorts must stay in the clinic for the entirety of the sedation appointment

We ask that you provide a minimum of 72 hours’ notice for cancellations or to rearrange or the deposit will be lost and a second deposit will be needed for a rearranged appointment.

Only one escort should come to the appointment with the patient and there should be somebody with the patient for the rest of the day after the appointment.

The patient should not be responsible for looking after dependents for 24 hours after treatment.

Escorts must not bring any children with them to the appointment.

You should not drink alcohol for around 24 hours before your appointment.

We offer sedation on both the NHS and privately and require that patients have a complete consultation with us, including an examination, to help check that sedation is appropriate for you. The cost of sedation for private patients and NHS patients can be provided at the initial consultation.

If you are exempt from NHS charges we require a £30 deposit to book your sedation appointment which you will receive back in full following treatment. Late cancellation or rearrangement charges remain for NHS exempt patient deposits.