Dental anxiety & sedation resources

Dental Fear Central (opens in a new tab)

dentalfearcentral.org

An independent, non-commercial website for people with a severe fear of the dentist. It explains common fears and what can help, and hosts a Dental Phobia Support forum.

Anxiety: 3 ways to stop fearing the dentist (opens in a new tab)

MouthHealthy, American Dental Association

The American Dental Association’s patient site on fear of the dentist. It starts from “you’re not alone” and offers three strategies for a calmer visit, beginning with speaking up about how you feel.

Phobias (opens in a new tab)

MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine

The U.S. National Library of Medicine’s plain-language overview of phobias: a phobia is a type of anxiety disorder, a strong fear of something that poses little or no real danger, and treatment helps most people.

American Dental Society of Anesthesiology (opens in a new tab)

adsahome.org

A professional society that promotes safe anesthesia and sedation in dentistry. It offers continuing education, guidelines and a safety checklist, and publishes the journal Anesthesia Progress.

Guidelines for the use of sedation and general anesthesia by dentists (opens in a new tab)

American Dental Association

The American Dental Association’s guidelines, adopted by its House of Delegates in October 2025, to help dentists deliver safe and effective sedation and anesthesia. Dentists must also follow their state’s laws and rules. (PDF)

Statement on continuum of depth of sedation (opens in a new tab)

American Society of Anesthesiologists

The American Society of Anesthesiologists’ definitions of the levels of sedation, from minimal sedation to general anesthesia, including moderate (“conscious”) sedation, and how responsiveness and breathing differ at each level.

Anesthesia and sedation (opens in a new tab)

MouthHealthy, American Dental Association

The ADA’s patient guide to medications that make dental visits more relaxed and comfortable, and what you and your dentist weigh in choosing them: the procedure, your health, allergies and your anxiety level.

Sedation dentistry: can you really relax in the dentist’s chair? (opens in a new tab)

WebMD

A consumer health article on the types of sedation used in dentistry, who can have it, which dentists can provide it and how safe it is.

Dental professions in Illinois (opens in a new tab)

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation licenses dentists in Illinois and issues the Dental Sedation Permit. Its License Look Up lets anyone check a dentist’s license.

Triazolam (opens in a new tab)

MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine

Drug information on triazolam (Halcion): why it is prescribed, how to take it, precautions and possible side effects, including a warning about taking it with certain other medicines.

Midazolam injection (opens in a new tab)

MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine

Drug information on midazolam injection, used before medical procedures to cause drowsiness, relieve anxiety and avoid any memory of the event, with how it is given, precautions and possible side effects.