Let’s be honest — not everyone loves going to the dentist. In fact, dental anxiety is one of the most common reasons people put off their dental care, and at Dental Wellness Stanmore, we see it every single day. We want you to know that there is absolutely no judgment here. Our entire team is trained to support nervous patients, and we have a number of ways to make your visit as comfortable and stress-free as possible.
Our approach to dental anxiety at Dental Wellness Stanmore
More common than you might think! Studies suggest that around one in four people experience some level of anxiety when visiting the dentist. For some patients it’s mild nerves before an appointment, for others it can be a genuine phobia that has stopped them seeking dental care for years.
Whatever your level of anxiety, we want to hear about it. The first step to getting the care you need is telling us how you feel. We promise we’ve heard it before, and we will never make you feel embarrassed.
There are usually a few common themes we hear from nervous patients at our Stanmore practice. A bad experience in the past is probably the most frequent reason — and we completely understand why one uncomfortable appointment can put someone off for years.
Other patients worry about pain, loss of control, or simply the unfamiliar sounds and sensations of a dental chair. Some have had a long gap since their last visit and feel self-conscious or worried about being judged for the condition of their teeth. We want to be very clear: we are here to help, not to judge.
At Dental Wellness Stanmore, we make time. Unlike an NHS appointment where time is extremely limited, our private dental appointments are longer and more relaxed by design. We allocate plenty of time for your visit so that nothing ever feels rushed.
We will always explain what we are going to do before we do it. You will never be surprised by an instrument, a sensation, or a piece of equipment. If you want us to stop at any point, just raise your hand and we stop immediately. You are always in control.
Our practice has Netflix on screens above the chair, so if you’d rather focus on a film than what’s happening in your mouth — we are completely fine with that! Many of our most nervous patients have actually fallen asleep during treatment once they feel a tease.
For patients who feel that anxiety is a real barrier to getting dental treatment, we offer conscious sedation. This involves giving you a carefully controlled sedative medication before your appointment that puts you into a deeply relaxed, calm state. You will still be awake and able to respond to us, but you will feel profoundly at ease.
Sedation is completely safe when administered by our trained team. It is particularly brilliant for patients who need multiple treatments completed and would benefit from doing everything in one comfortable appointment, rather than spreading it over many visits.
Many patients tell us that having sedation was the turning point — the thing that finally allowed them to get on top of their dental health after years of avoiding it. If you’d like to know more, just ask our team and we’ll talk you through everything.
We never push patients to do more than they are comfortable with. Sometimes a first appointment with a nervous patient is simply a chat and a gentle look around the mouth — no treatment at all. We believe that building trust is the most important part of looking after anxious patients, and we are very happy to take as long as you need.
If you haven’t been to a dentist in a while, please don’t let embarrassment stop you from calling us. We see patients who haven’t visited a dentist in five, ten, even twenty years. It’s never too late to start, and the first appointment is always the hardest. After that, it only gets easier.
Dental anxiety often starts in childhood, which is why we pay special attention to making younger patients feel welcome and safe from the very start. Our team is experienced in paediatric dentistry and we use a gentle, patient approach with all our young patients across Stanmore, Harrow and the surrounding areas. Getting children comfortable at the dentist early is one of the best things you can do for their long-term oral health.
If you or someone in your family is nervous about visiting the dentist, please don’t let anxiety stand in the way of good oral health. The team at Dental Wellness Stanmore genuinely cares, and we will do everything we can to make your experience a positive one.
Call us, email us, or book online — and let us know you’re feeling nervous. We’ll make sure you’re looked after from the very first moment you walk through our door.
Watch Us On YouTube
Want to see how we care for nervous patients and our relaxed practice environment in action? Visit our YouTube channel for patient videos, treatment walkthroughs and expert tips from the team at Dental Wellness Stanmore. youtube.com/@Dental-Wellness-london
