Some of my patients sat in the parking lot before they came in.
In this video, Dr. Barbat explains what happens when dental fear has kept you away: an unhurried conversation in a private consultation room, care paced to what feels right for you, and the oral and IV sedation options, with trained staff and monitoring equipment throughout.
By Dr. Ban R. Barbat, DDS — University of Michigan School of Dentistry, 25+ years in practice
I know that because they tell me, often years later, once it has stopped being true. They had avoided a dentist for ten years. Fifteen. Twenty. Not because they didn’t care about their teeth — because somewhere along the way, someone kept going when they wanted to stop.
If that is you, you are the patient I built this part of my practice for.
You are not unusual. In a 2025 national survey published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, 72.6% of American adults said they were afraid of going to the dentist, and for more than a quarter of them that fear was severe.
What I promise before I promise anything else
If you tell me it hurts, I stop.
Not “I finish this one thing first.” Not “we’re almost done.” I stop. You will have a signal we agree on before we begin, and it works from the first appointment to the last.
I hear the other version of that story too often to treat it as a small thing. It is the reason people stay away for twenty years, and it is the one thing I can settle on your first visit.
Three ways to be comfortable, and you choose
There are three sedation options here, and the right one depends on you — not on the procedure.
| Nitrous oxide | Oral sedation | IV sedation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you receive it | A soft nose mask | A prescribed tablet before your visit | An IV, given here by Dr. Shakfa |
| How deep | Lightest — you stay awake and aware | Deeper and calmer | Deepest |
| Needles | No | No | Yes |
| Adjusted while we work | — | — | Yes |
| Getting home | Most people drive themselves | Someone drives you | Someone drives you |
Nitrous oxide (laughing gas)
You breathe it through a soft nose mask, stay awake and aware, and it clears quickly. Most people drive themselves home and go back to their day.
Oral sedation
A prescribed tablet before your visit takes you somewhere deeper and calmer. No needles, no IV. You will need someone to drive you home.
IV sedation, given here by Dr. Shakfa
The deepest level, and the only one that can be adjusted while we work. Dr. Abdul-Sattar Shakfa trained in pain management and IV sedation at Miami Valley Hospital, and he administers it here, in this office — you are not sent across town to a stranger. You will need someone to drive you home.
“I started with IV sedation for major restorative work, then gradually transitioned to oral sedation and nitrous oxide for routine cleanings. Today, I only take a mild relaxer before my appointments.” — C.B.
Sedation can be safe and effective when it is properly administered and monitored. Before any of it, we review your medical history and everything you take, and I tell you plainly which option I would choose for you and why.
What comfortable actually looks like here
A warm blanket. Eye protection. Your own music. A video during treatment, if you’d rather be somewhere else for an hour.
And the part most people dread most — the injection. Patients describe mine as painless. Those are their words, not a promise I make. What I promise is that I go slowly, and that I tell you what is happening before it happens.
“As someone who fears the dentist, I was relieved to find options like nitrous oxide. I was offered a warm blanket, eye protection, and even got to choose my favorite music.” — B.M.
“I’m a 60-year-old woman who used to absolutely dread going to the dentist. In fact, I couldn’t even walk through the door without being sedated. I used to sit in the parking lot in the beginning, paralyzed by nerves, wondering if I could muster the courage to go inside. That fear is gone.” — C.B.
Questions people ask before sedation
Which sedation option is right for me?
It depends on you, not on the procedure. Before any sedation, we review your medical history and everything you take, and I tell you plainly which option I would choose for you and why.
Can I drive home after sedation?
After nitrous oxide, most people drive themselves home and go back to their day. After oral or IV sedation, you will need someone to drive you home.
Who gives IV sedation, and where?
Dr. Abdul-Sattar Shakfa, who trained in pain management and IV sedation at Miami Valley Hospital. He administers it here, in this office, so you are not sent across town to a stranger.
Is sedation safe?
Sedation can be safe and effective when it is properly administered and monitored. That is why we review your medical history and everything you take before we recommend any option.
Can I be sedated for an extraction, implants, or oral surgery?
Yes. IV sedation is available for tooth extractions when it is needed, and dental implant patients can choose oral or IV sedation. Dr. Shakfa performs extractions, implant placement, and oral surgery here, so the sedation and the treatment happen in the same office.
What if something hurts during treatment?
If you tell me it hurts, I stop. We agree on a signal before we begin, and it works from the first appointment to the last.
I’m too nervous to even call. What should I do?
Call 586-739-2155 and tell whoever answers that you’re nervous. That is enough. We will take it from there at your pace. If you would rather read first, my guide for fearful dental patients is below.
Before you call
I wrote a short guide for people who are afraid of the dentist — practical things that help, whether or not you ever become my patient.
Download the Guide for the Fearful Dental Patient
If you want to know what happens at a first appointment, here is what to expect on your first visit.
Related reading: Dental Fear? Delayed Dental Care Can Lead to Many Problems
When you’re ready, call 586-739-2155 and tell whoever answers that you’re nervous. That is enough. We will take it from there at your pace.
