Nervous about the dentist? You're our regulars.

The rules that make it manageable

Nothing happens unannounced: each step is described before it starts, no surprise decisions arrive while you're reclined, and a raised hand halts everything immediately — not after 'one more second,' not once the spot is finished. If what gets you through the door is an appointment that's only a conversation and a look around, that counts as a first visit.

Anxious patients and those returning after years get longer appointments, so no one is racing a clock. Headphones on, a pause whenever you ask, a hand signal agreed on beforehand — routine accommodations here, granted without any fuss.

Nitrous oxide: a quiet way to take the edge off

Nitrous oxide — laughing gas — is a sweet-smelling gas you breathe through a small soft mask over your nose, mixed in our office with at least 30 percent oxygen alongside it, well within the range dentistry has used safely for decades. You stay awake the whole time: you can hear, talk, and respond, and most patients describe a mild floaty calm rather than anything dramatic. It works alongside local anesthetic, not instead of it, and it helps with a strong gag reflex too.

Onset takes a few minutes, and so does offset — after your visit we run pure oxygen for about five minutes, and most patients drive themselves home. We can dial it up or down mid-visit based on how you're feeling. Curious but uncertain? Ask for a five-minute trial at the start of your appointment: we turn it on briefly, you feel the effect, and you decide whether to keep it for the rest of the visit. No pressure either way.

Nitrous isn't right for everyone. Mention COPD or significant emphysema, difficulty breathing through your nose, first-trimester pregnancy, recent middle-ear surgery, a current sinus infection, or B12-deficiency treatment on your health history — Dr. Podbesek will recommend what fits your situation.

The part you don't see: infection control

Comfort includes knowing the operatory is safe. Every reusable instrument here — dental handpieces included — is sterilized in an autoclave with high-pressure steam, and sterilized trays stay sealed until we open them in front of you. Single-use items — needles, suction tips, prophy cups — are opened for you and discarded after use. Gloves change between every patient, and surfaces are wiped down with EPA-registered disinfectants between appointments.

The standards behind that routine are OSHA, CDC, and EPA rules you can look up yourself — and if you'd like to see how sterilization runs or watch an operatory get set up, just ask. The best answer to any concern is a clear one.