Dental Anxiety and Sedation Dentistry- Portland Dental Case of the Month- February
Going to the dentist can be a nerve wrecking experience, especially if you are among the thousands of people suffering from dental anxiety in the Portland area. To help with any apprehension you may have, we offer sedation dentistry as an option for our patients. Below, SNW patient Jason H. writes a letter of appreciation for the sedation services he received.
“I want to express my appreciation to Dr. Dotson and Smiles Northwest for all that you have done for me. As a child I developed a great anxiety over dental care. I didn’t accept numbing medication very well and had to have several shots each time I would go in. By the time I was a teenager I didn’t want to go to the dentist at all. I would get sick at the thought of going through the dental experience so I stopped going to the dentist.
After many years of not seeing the dentist it took a toll on my teeth. I knew I needed to have a great deal of work done but couldn’t bring myself to do it. My cousin recommended that I look into sedation dentistry, which brought me to the Smiles Northwest Clinic. I came in and met with Dr. Dotson and immediately felt at ease. She took a lot of time to describe the process of conscious sedation, both before and after, and she listened intently to all of my concerns. I had never experienced a dentist that seemed so genuinely interested in how I was feeling. She was wonderful to work with.
I was still very nervous about the first appointment but it went really well. I was given medication to relax me prior to the appointment and then the sedation for the actual dental work. I don’t remember any discomfort at all. I remember going to sleep and waking up to go home where I spent the rest of the day resting. I didn’t have any negative side effects from the medication or the dental work. I was extremely pleased with the process, and the entire staff was great with their care and attention – very professional and compassionate. Dr. Dotson took time to contact me twice after each appointment to make sure things were going well. They went so far as to send me home with a care package of soup and Gatorade.
I would highly recommend Dr. Dotson and Smiles Northwest to anyone who suffers from dental anxiety.”
If you are looking for a sleep like experience at the dentist give us a call! To make sure you get that gentle dental experience you are after we set aside a special suite just for our sedation patients. Here, you get to relax and enjoy your visit in a large, spacious and comfortable room. 
Dental sedation can be used for any type of procedure from a hygiene visit to a complex procedure. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding sedation dentistry.
