“Dr. Smith can help you overcome your fear of the dentist”
Sedation dentistry may be a great option if you have been feeling scared about being treated by a dentist. We see patients every day who have had a bad dental experience, avoiding the dental office for years, even since their childhood. We understand the fear is real, and our goal is to create new positive experiences in our office.
Every treatment below can be completed under sedation, so the size of the treatment plan is never what decides whether you can get through it.
With the help of sedatives, you can experience pain-free and stress-free dental procedures. Sedation dentistry has revolutionized the way people receive dental care, allowing individuals to overcome their fear and anxiety and get the treatment they need.
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Dental implants have revolutionized the field of dentistry, offering a permanent and natural-looking solution to missing teeth. Unlike traditional dentures or bridges, dental implants are designed to look and feel just like natural teeth, providing patients with a comfortable and reliable solution to tooth loss.
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Full mouth restoration is a comprehensive dental treatment that involves restoring or replacing all of the teeth in the upper and lower jaws. This treatment is designed for individuals who have multiple dental problems, including missing, damaged, or decayed teeth, gum disease, bite problems, and other oral health issues.
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Whether you’re dealing with decay, injury, or simply looking to enhance your appearance, dental crowns and bridges can provide a natural-looking and durable solution. Dental crowns also help to strengthen teeth after root canal therapy, and are recommended to restore a tooth that has been fractured.
Explore Crowns & Bridges With the help of sedatives, you can experience pain-free and stress-free dental procedures. Sedation dentistry has revolutionized the way people receive dental care, allowing individuals to overcome their fear and anxiety and get the treatment they need.
Explore Sedation Dentistry Dental implants have revolutionized the field of dentistry, offering a permanent and natural-looking solution to missing teeth. Unlike traditional dentures or bridges, dental implants are designed to look and feel just like natural teeth, providing patients with a comfortable and reliable solution to tooth loss.
Explore Dental Implants Full mouth restoration is a comprehensive dental treatment that involves restoring or replacing all of the teeth in the upper and lower jaws. This treatment is designed for individuals who have multiple dental problems, including missing, damaged, or decayed teeth, gum disease, bite problems, and other oral health issues.
Explore Full Mouth Restoration Whether you’re dealing with decay, injury, or simply looking to enhance your appearance, dental crowns and bridges can provide a natural-looking and durable solution. Dental crowns also help to strengthen teeth after root canal therapy, and are recommended to restore a tooth that has been fractured.
Explore Crowns & BridgesWelcome to Smith Sedation Dentistry where we specialize in helping really, really scared people overcome their dental fears and get the care they need. We understand how you feel. Are you scared or even terrified of the dentist? Does the thought of hearing the drill overwhelm you? Are you in pain? Does the thought of sitting in the dental chair make you want to cry? Have you scheduled dental appointments before and canceled them? Does this sound familiar? Are you embarrassed?
You are not alone. We are here to help.
I know that great dentistry can be expensive and that family budgets are tight. My commitment to you is that I will do everything I can to keep my prices low without compromising quality. At Smith Sedation Dentistry you will receive the highest quality, compassionate care at prices that families can afford.
Now that he owns his own practice, Dr. Smith continues to enjoy working hard and pursuing the highest level of dental training for himself and his staff. Sedation dentistry is particularly rewarding for Dr. Smith because his father was an anesthesiologist, and he loves that he can bring the highest quality, safest sedation dentistry to Fresno.
Graduated Omicron Kappa Upsilon — the highest honors — then bought the practice of retiring dentist Dr. Garth Schmidt in 2001.
As the technology for sedating dental patients has advanced, Dr. Smith has kept his office and staff at the top of this special service.
A sole proprietor, not a corporate practice, who volunteers at the Life Hope Dental Clinic in Fresno.
It is a very personal relationship between the patient and the hygienist, especially for our patients that do not love going to the dentist.
Kathy, Bobette, Aong, Susan, Deyci, Lauren, Kristen
Maribel, Cindy, Michelle, Irissa
Yudi
Audrie, Angie, Denise, Isabel, Marian, Yesenia
Dr. Smith realizes that there are many different procedures that require many different levels of sedation. Many patients will use one type of sedation for one procedure and a different type for another, which is why we explain everything at the initial visit.
This is a mild form of sedation that makes the patient feel as though they had a couple glasses of wine during the procedure. Every operatory is equipped with a simple hookup for nitrous oxide, even the hygiene rooms. After the procedure, there is no lingering after effect — the patient is able to legally drive home, making this a very convenient and popular form of sedation.
This is a simple way to allow the patient to get their dental work done in a moderately relaxed state. The patient is given one pill about an hour before the appointment, which will make them mildly relaxed. When they arrive in the office, we will then administer the nitrous oxide. This is a very popular option for cleaning visits or for minor procedures.
The patient will usually take a pill about an hour before the procedure to get them into a relaxed state. They come back to the dental chair and they are greeted by warm blankets. The MD anesthesiologist then starts your IV, safely puts you to sleep, and gently wakes you up when the procedure is over. Dr. Smith will call to check on you and make sure your recovery is going as planned.
Dr. Milne is a board-certified M.D. anesthesiologist who administers general anesthesia and deep sedation, so the patient is completely asleep for treatment.
An MD anesthesiologist practicing for over 25 years. He did his training in Canada and a fellowship at Stanford. In Fresno, there are only a few dentists who are licensed to perform Intravenous Sedation — the training and licensing required are extensive, so most dentists who advertise “Sedation Dentistry” are only using a pill to mildly sedate or relax people.
See All Sedation OptionsSince dentistry is one of the few professions where the dentist is legally allowed to do the surgery and perform the sedation, you may find that the dentist is multitasking in other dental offices. At our office, the anesthesiologist has his full focus on the patient’s sedation and comfort while Dr. Smith is focusing on your dental surgery and treatment.
A dentist who has taken classes in sedation does not have as much training as an MD anesthesiologist in sedating people. You as the patient are in much safer hands with an anesthesiologist in our office.
A dentist is only legally able to perform “conscious sedation”, which means the patient must be able to respond to verbal commands during the procedure — so patients in those offices will sometimes have memories of the procedure. In our office, with an MD anesthesiologist, deep sedation is given and there is no chance of waking up during the procedure.
An MD anesthesiologist uses propofol for sedation. Other dentists with conscious sedation permits cannot use this drug and generally use a combination of other drugs that often cause nausea and vomiting after the procedure. Recovery from propofol is much easier for the patient — there is almost no nausea or sickness.
Dr. Smith and our staff have long-term relationships with our patients because of our conservative approach to treatment, and the entire staff treats patients like family.
We are the only practice in the Central Valley that offers I.V. sedation — deep sedation — with an anesthesiologist.
We treat those who have been too scared to complete dental treatment in the past.
A beautiful, high-end feeling practice — because the room you are sitting in changes how the appointment feels.
Honest, no-pressure, conservative treatment. We show you the options and the costs, and you decide.
Reasonably priced implant care, so the treatment you actually need is not the one you have to rule out.
We work with all PPOs, including Delta Dental, and we do our best to optimize the insurance funds available to you.
“I’m Dr. Smith and our sedation dentistry makes your dental visit completely stress-free and free of pain. The services that we offer here are different. We are the only practice in the Central Valley that offers deep sedation.”
“What I’ve found is that patients want to be asleep and not have to worry about waking up in the middle of the procedure. You’re not going to have any memory of the procedure.”
“You’re going to go to sleep. When you’re done, you’re going to wake up, you’re going to be peaceful, you’re going to be so happy that you finally got your dentistry done.”
We see patients every day who have had a bad dental experience, avoiding the dental office for years, even since their childhood. We understand the fear is real, and our goal is to create new positive experiences in our office.
We offer individual consultations in a quiet area with our sedation coordinator, Melissa. We have no judgment about how patients have gotten to this point, and we are here to help you with solutions.
All patients coming into our office for a sedation consultation will start with a nice, comfortable, safe meeting with Melissa and Dr. Smith. Melissa has been with Dr. Smith since they started in 2001, and she hates going to the dentist just as much as you do. She will listen to your fears, concerns and answer any questions that you might have.
Our plan of action will be tailored to your individual needs.
We work with many patients with anxiety, so we know that each patient has their own specific fears and treatment needs.
We can utilize Nitrous Oxide, oral medications, or I.V. sedation with our anesthesiologist.
We also treat patients with special needs who are unable to receive treatment elsewhere.
Many of our patients have not been to the dentist in 10 years or more.
Dr. Smith continues pursuing the highest level of dental training for himself and his staff, and equips the office the same way. The point of all of it is to understand exactly what is happening before anything is recommended — so we can explain it clearly, treat gently, and often avoid unnecessary treatment altogether.
Before recommending treatment, we want to understand exactly what is happening — not guess.
Conebeam technology gives a 3 dimensional image of the jawbone and nerve structures so that Dr. Smith can use the perfect sized implant and place it in the perfect position. When you know what is happening and why, dental care becomes far less intimidating.
Most offices charge a fee for the conebeam scan of up to $500. Dr. Smith does not charge for his scans. Whether you choose to do implants or not, Dr. Smith wants to have all the information available to find the best treatment for you.
If there is one change in technology that has revolutionized dentistry over the last few years, it is the creation of the cosmetic zirconium crown. Cosmetic zirconium is as beautiful as anything made in Hollywood or Beverly Hills, but can be made extremely thin while maintaining the strength of gold.
There are many types of digital xrays on the market today. Dr. Smith chose the absolute top of the line, the Dexis System, for his office. He can blow up the images, zoom in on questionable areas, change the contrast and do measurements — all of which help him diagnose with better accuracy, to make sure he is treating the cavities that need to be treated and leaving healthy teeth alone.
We work with all PPOs, and we do our best to optimize the insurance funds available to you so your plan of action gives you as much value as possible.
Health and dental financing you apply for once and can use for future treatment.
Point-of-care financing decided at the front desk when you plan your treatment.
We do not accept Medi-Cal or HMO’s. However, we do have personal financing options available for those on these plans.
Check Your CoveragePatients travel to us from across the Central Valley — often because there is nowhere closer that offers I.V. sedation with an anesthesiologist.
