A lot of people are anxious about the dentist. Not a little nervous — genuinely anxious. The kind where you book an appointment, cancel it, rebook it, and cancel it again.
If that sounds familiar, you are not unusual. And you are not going to be made to feel that way here.
Our team at Drs. Nicolas & Asp Centers has been caring for nervous and phobic patients has been part of daily practice since 1991.
We won’t dismiss your concerns or tell you there’s nothing to worry about. Instead, we’ll walk you through exactly what to expect — so you can decide, at your own pace.
Dental anxiety is not one thing. For some people it is a specific fear — needles, the sound of the drill, the loss of control that comes with lying back in a chair while someone works in your mouth.
For others it is less specific — a creeping dread in the days before an appointment, or a physical response that arrives the moment they walk into a waiting room.
Some patients have had a genuinely painful or frightening experience at another clinic. Others have avoided the dentist for so long that embarrassment has become part of the anxiety.
All of these are things our team has seen and worked with. None of them are unusual.
Dental anxiety is the most common reason people delay or avoid dental care entirely — and avoidance tends to make things worse. A small issue that could have been handled simply becomes more complicated the longer it is left.
This is not said to alarm you. It is said because it is the most practical reason to find a way through the anxiety — not for cosmetic reasons, but because catching things early is genuinely easier on everyone.
The goal is not to push you into treatment. It is to help you get to a point where treatment is possible.
There is no single approach that works for every anxious patient, so we do not use one.
In practice, this means:
For patients who find traditional dental cleaning particularly distressing, Guided Biofilm Therapy is available as an alternative. It replaces the conventional scale and polish with a gentler technique that is quieter, less abrasive, and more comfortable for patients who find standard cleaning hard to tolerate.
If you have had a bad experience at another clinic, say so when you book. That context changes how your appointment is set up.
Add a note in the comments to let us know you are nervous. That message goes directly to the team preparing your visit.
Letting us know in advance helps us take better care of you from the start.
When you book your appointment online, use the comments field to tell us you are anxious — even a short note is enough. Your dentist will be prepared before you arrive, and you will not have to explain yourself from scratch at reception.
A few other things that help:
You don’t need to feel calm before coming in — just showing up is enough.
For patients whose anxiety makes routine treatment difficult, or for longer procedures, sedation dentistry is available.
Laughing gas (nitrous oxide) is the lightest option. It takes effect within a few minutes, leaves you relaxed and comfortable without putting you to sleep, and wears off quickly enough that most patients can drive home afterwards. You remain fully conscious throughout.
For more complex procedures or deeper anxiety, general anesthesia is available for both adults and children, carried out in a hospital setting with a fully trained clinical team. This ensures the highest level of monitoring and care throughout the procedure.
Your dentist at any of our four Dubai locations — Jumeirah, Marina Walk, Springs Souk, and Uptown Mirdif — will review your medical history at consultation and explain which option is appropriate for your situation.
Children who are anxious about dental visits need a different approach from adults — and our Specialist Pediatric Dentists are trained specifically for this.
A first visit for an anxious child is typically an introduction only: meeting the dentist, sitting in the chair, getting comfortable with the environment. No clinical work takes place until the child is ready.
For children who need additional support, laughing gas and general anesthesia are available under specialist supervision. Our special needs dentistry team also has specific experience caring for children whose anxiety is connected to sensory sensitivities or developmental conditions.
You don’t need to have it all figured out — just getting in touch is a good place to start.
Our team is available at all four Dubai locations — Jumeirah, Marina Walk, Springs Souk, and Uptown Mirdif — six days a week. Call 04 394 7777 or book your appointment online and mention in the comments that you are nervous. That is enough for us to make sure your visit starts differently.
No. Your first appointment can be a conversation only — a chance to meet your dentist, see the clinic, and talk through your concerns without any clinical work taking place. Nothing happens until you decide you are ready to proceed.
Yes. If completing everything in a single visit feels like too much, your dentist can divide treatment into shorter sessions across separate days. There is no obligation to push through more than you are comfortable with in one go.
Agree on a stop signal with your dentist before treatment begins — a raised hand is standard. Your dentist will stop immediately, every time, without question. This is not a courtesy, it is a protocol.
Yes. Sedation at Drs. Nicolas & Asp Centers is administered by trained clinicians and monitored throughout using standard safety protocols. Your dentist will review your full medical history before recommending any sedation option, and nothing will be used without your informed agreement.
No. Patients who have avoided dental care because of anxiety often arrive worrying about the condition of their teeth. The team's focus is entirely on where you go from here — not how long it has been.
Yes. Caring for nervous and phobic patients is a routine part of what we do across all four Dubai locations. The team includes dentists with specific experience in anxiety management, sedation, and gentle clinical technique — for both adults and children.
Your first appointment will be with a general dentist experienced in nervous patient care. If your treatment needs involve a specialist — a Specialist Endodontist for root canal treatment, a Specialist Oral Surgeon for extractions, or a Specialist Pediatric Dentist for a child — your dentist will coordinate that referral within the same practice.
Yes. Our special needs dentistry team has specific experience caring for children whose anxiety is linked to sensory sensitivities, developmental conditions, or behavioral challenges. Appointments are structured differently for these patients, and sedation options including general anesthesia in a hospital setting are available where needed.
Yes. Second opinions are something we actively welcome — particularly for patients who have been told they need extensive or costly treatment and want an independent assessment. You will not be pressured into anything, and our focus is on giving you an honest picture of your options so you can make an informed decision.
Standard dental treatments are covered under most insurance plans in the usual way. Drs. Nicolas & Asp Centers accepts most major insurance cards for direct billing and handles all pre-approvals and paperwork on your behalf. For sedation specifically, coverage varies by plan — the team will check your policy and advise before anything is scheduled. See our insurance and payment options for details.