Questions
Common questions
Feeling nervous
A large part of Dr Singh’s work is with people who find the dentist difficult. None of what follows is unusual, and none of it needs explaining away.
I am genuinely anxious about going to the dentist. What happens?
Tell us when you get in touch and the appointment is arranged around it. A first appointment can be a conversation and nothing else: no instruments, no treatment, no decisions. Where treatment does go ahead, it is done at a pace you set, with an agreed signal to stop at any point.
Do you offer sedation?
Sedation is available in-house where it would help, and it is discussed at the assessment rather than sprung on you. Whether it is appropriate depends on your general health and on the treatment planned, so it is agreed in advance and never on the day.
Can I bring someone with me?
Yes. Many people find it easier with someone in the room, and it is often useful to have a second person hearing the plan.
Can I just come and look round first?
Yes. If it helps to see the practice, meet the team and leave again, that is a reasonable way to start.
Discomfort and treatment
Will it hurt?
Treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic where anaesthetic is needed, and getting you comfortably numb before anything begins is the part that matters most. It is honest to say that people experience dental treatment differently, so what to expect during and after your specific treatment is explained beforehand rather than glossed over.
I have had a bad experience before. Does that change anything?
It changes how the appointment is run. It is worth saying what happened, because knowing which part was difficult (the injection, the noise, the feeling of not being in control) is what allows it to be handled differently this time.
What if I need a break part way through?
You stop. An agreed signal is set up before treatment starts, and using it is expected rather than tolerated.
How will I feel afterwards?
That depends on what has been done. What to expect, how long it usually lasts and when to get in touch if something does not settle are all covered before you leave.
If it has been a while
Coming back after years away is common, and it is not something you will be told off about.
I have not been to a dentist in years. Will I be judged?
No. People stop going for all sorts of reasons: cost, fear, a bad experience, or simply life getting in the way. The appointment starts from where things are now, not from where they should have been.
Will I need everything done at once?
No. Where there is a lot to do, it is sequenced: the things that matter clinically first, the cosmetic work afterwards. The plan sets out the order and you decide how quickly to work through it.
What happens at the first appointment?
An examination of the teeth, gums and bite, radiographs where they are needed, and a conversation about what you would like to change. You leave with a written plan and no obligation to book anything.
Is there an age limit?
Dr Singh treats adults from 18 upwards, at any age above that.
These answers are general. What applies to you is established at an examination. Nothing here is a prediction of how any individual will find their own treatment.
Ask before you book.
If something here has not been answered, telephone or send an enquiry. Asking a question costs nothing and commits you to nothing.