A Dentist for Nervous Patients in Wilmslow
Longer appointments, everything explained first, and we stop whenever you ask. Your first visit can be a conversation and nothing else.
Croft Dental on Manchester Road in Wilmslow treats a large number of patients who find dental appointments difficult, including people who have avoided dentists for years. Appointments are longer so nothing is rushed, everything is explained before it happens, and treatment stops whenever the patient asks. Sedation is available from £350. Patients can book a first visit where nothing happens except a conversation. The practice has been at the same address since 1974 and has a 5.0 rating across 173 Google reviews, several of which come from patients who arrived frightened.
So, how long has it been?
Whatever the answer, it is longer than you would like and shorter than you think is unusual.
Around one in four adults in the UK has significant dental anxiety. A smaller number avoid the dentist entirely because of it. If you have not been in years, you are not an outlier and you are not a difficult patient. You are a fairly typical one.
Most people who arrive here nervous have a reason.
A painful experience as a child. A dentist who was dismissive or rough. Being told off about their teeth. A treatment that went wrong. Or simply the loss of control that comes with lying back while somebody works in your mouth, which is a perfectly rational thing to dislike.
None of that is irrational, and we are not going to treat it as though it is.
What usually keeps people away is not the pain
It is the anticipated verdict. The assumption that whatever has happened in the meantime is worse than it is, and that somebody is going to tell you so.
We do not do that. It is covered properly in the next section, because it matters more than anything else on this page.
What we will not do
Sometimes it is more useful to know what will not happen.
We will not comment on how long it has been. Not at the appointment, not in your notes, not at all. It is not relevant to anything.
We will not lecture you about your teeth. You already know. Being told does not help and we are not going to do it.
We will not carry out any treatment at your first visit unless you want us to. You can come in, sit down, talk, and leave. That is a perfectly valid appointment and a good number of people start that way.
We will not continue if you ask us to stop. We agree a signal at the start. When you use it, we stop. Not at a convenient point. Immediately.
We will not press you into a decision. You can take the treatment plan away and think about it for as long as you need.
We will not tell you it will not hurt and then hurt you. If something is likely to be uncomfortable, we will say so beforehand rather than reassure you and be wrong.
What our patients say
These are the reviews that matter most on this page, because they are the one thing we cannot write ourselves.
How appointments work here
- Longer appointments. Anxiety and time pressure do not mix. Nervous patients are given more time so nothing has to be rushed and there is room to stop.
- Tell us before you arrive. Mention it when you book and it goes on your notes before you walk in. You will not have to explain yourself at reception in front of other people.
- A conversation before anything else. The first appointment starts with talking, not with the chair reclined. What has happened before, what you find difficult, and what you want to avoid.
- A signal to stop. Agreed at the start, usually raising a hand. When you use it, we stop straight away.
- Everything explained first. What is about to happen, what it will feel like and how long it will take. Being surprised is a large part of what makes dental treatment frightening.
- Numbness taken seriously. We give the anaesthetic time to work properly and check before starting. If you feel anything sharp at any point, tell us and more will be given. That is not a nuisance and it is not unusual.
- Breaks whenever you need them. Sitting up for a minute is not a problem.
- Bring somebody with you. A partner, a friend, whoever helps. Plenty of people do.
- Bring headphones. Music or a podcast helps a great many patients. The sound of the surgery is a significant trigger for some people.
Options for managing anxiety
Sedation
From £350
We offer all types of dental sedation, priced from £350 for any treatment with a bespoke quote. It is there for patients who would find treatment difficult, or for longer surgical appointments. You will need somebody to take you home afterwards.
If anxiety is the reason you have been putting off treatment, mention it when you call and we will talk through whether it would suit you.
Treatment broken into shorter appointments
Rather than doing everything at once. It takes longer overall, and for many patients that trade is worth making.
Starting with something small
A hygiene appointment or a single straightforward filling, so the first experience is a manageable one before anything larger is attempted.
Topical anaesthetic before injections
Numbing gel applied to the gum first, so the injection itself is less noticeable. If needles are your particular difficulty, say so and we will take extra care.
Referral where appropriate
Where a patient’s anxiety needs more support than we can provide, we will say so and help arrange it rather than press ahead.
What happens if you book
Worth setting out in detail, because not knowing is part of the problem.
Booking
Call the practice on 01625 523 524, or use the form if speaking to somebody feels like too much. Say that you are nervous. That is all you need to say.
Before you arrive
We will send a medical history form to complete at home rather than in the waiting room.
Arriving
Come in and let reception know you have arrived. If waiting is difficult, tell us when you book and we will try to arrange a time when the practice is quieter.
The appointment
It starts with a conversation. What brought you here, what you find difficult, and what you would like to happen.
If you want us to look at your teeth, we will. If you would rather not that day, we will not. Some patients come once just to see the room and meet the team, then come back for an examination later. That is entirely reasonable and it works.
If we do examine you;
We will tell you what we are doing as we do it. You can stop at any point.
Afterwards;
We explain what we found in plain terms, without alarm and without a lecture. If treatment is needed, you will get a written plan with costs and you can take it away and think about it.
What we will not do is talk you into starting treatment that day.
The things anxious patients ask about
“My teeth are in a terrible state and I am embarrassed.”
We see this every week. Genuinely. Whatever you think is uniquely bad about your mouth, it is not, and nobody here will react to it. Embarrassment keeps more people away than fear of pain does, and it is the least justified reason of all.
“I am worried I will be judged for leaving it so long.”
You will not be. Long gaps are common and the reasons are usually good ones.
“I gag easily.”
Tell us. There are practical things that help, including how you are positioned, taking impressions differently, and working in shorter bursts.
“Injections are the part I cannot cope with.”
Say so. Topical gel first, slower delivery, and warning before rather than during all make a difference. Some patients find not seeing the syringe helps considerably, which is easily arranged.
“I am worried about the cost as well as the treatment.”
Reasonable, and worth raising early. You will get written costs before anything starts, treatment can often be staged over time, and finance is available on larger plans. Nobody will be surprised by a bill here.
“I panicked and cancelled last time.”
It happens often. Book again. Nobody will mention it.
“I am in pain but too frightened to come in.”
Call us. Pain does not improve on its own and dental infections can become serious. Tell us on the phone that you are frightened and we will work out how to get you seen.
Coming back after years away
The longer the gap, the harder it becomes, because the anticipated verdict grows in the meantime.
What usually happens –
Most people who have avoided dentists for years need less than they feared. Some need a good deal. Either way, it is dealt with in a planned order rather than all at once.
How treatment is staged –
Urgent things first, meaning pain and infection. Then stabilising anything deteriorating. Then the rest, at a pace and in an order that suits you, spread over months if that is what works.
You are not committing to everything –
Agreeing to an examination is not agreeing to a treatment plan. Agreeing to a plan is not agreeing to start it next week.
- Real Patient Results
Thousands of Smiles Transformed
Be our Next Success Story!
All photographs show patients treated at Croft Dental and are published with their consent. Results shown are individual results.
Pricing and fees
Nervous patients are not charged more. Longer appointments are how we work rather than a chargeable extra.
Treatment | From |
New patient examination, including x-rays | £40 |
Written treatment plan | No charge |
Sedation | £350 |
Routine examination | £55 |
Hygiene appointment, 30 minutes | £90 |
Treatment fees are the same as for any other patient and are published in full. You receive a written plan with all costs before anything begins, and finance is available on treatments over the practice threshold.
Where to find us
Croft Dental sits at 64 Manchester Road, on the Handforth side of Wilmslow town centre. Coming up from The Carrs, we are north east along Manchester Road. If you reach Handforth Dean, you have gone too far.
We are around ten minutes on foot from Wilmslow station, five minutes from Handforth, and roughly ten minutes from Alderley Edge up the A34.
Patients come to us from Alderley Edge, Handforth, Styal, Prestbury, Mottram St Andrew, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Poynton, Bramhall, Cheadle and Hale.
A number of them travel past closer practices to get here, which is worth mentioning only because it usually means somebody recommended us.
Not sure where to start? Give us a ring.
- DENTIST
Meet the team
Dr Nikhil Oberai
BDS · MSc Implant Dentistry, University of Manchester · ADI Member · GDC 150126
Dr Natasja Kashyap
BDS · MSc Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics · MFDS RCS Edinburgh · GDC 150054
Nervous patients are not an exception at Croft Dental. They are a substantial proportion of who we see, and several of our five star reviews come specifically from patients who arrived frightened.
That is not something a practice can claim about itself convincingly. It has to come from patients, which is why the reviews sit high on this page rather than at the bottom.
What we can say is that the practice has been at 64 Manchester Road since 1974, which means you will see the same people each time rather than whoever is available. Continuity matters when trust is difficult.
And because implant, endodontic and cosmetic treatment are all carried out here, if you need complex work you will not be sent to a stranger elsewhere partway through.
- Finance
Spread the cost of treatment with finance
We offer finance on larger treatment plans through Tabeo so the cost can be spread across monthly payments. Interest-free options are available with no arrangement fees or hidden charges.
Cost is a legitimate worry alongside the treatment itself, and it is worth raising early rather than at the end. Treatment can frequently be staged over time as well.
- REGISTRATION
Register with Croft Dental as a New Patient
We warmly welcome new patients to our practice. If it’s been a while since your last visit, if dental visits make you feel anxious, if you’ve recently moved to Wilmslow, or if you’re simply seeking a team that truly listens to your concerns, you’ll find a supportive and gentle environment here with us.
During your first appointment, we take the time to conduct a complete evaluation of your teeth, gums, and overall oral health. We will listen carefully to your goals, answer any questions, and collaboratively create a treatment plan tailored specifically to you.
"I have my smile back thanks to the skill of the team here. All in all, a very happy patient."
- FAQs
Frequently asked questions
No. Long gaps between dental appointments are common, and the reasons are usually understandable. A dental practice experienced in treating anxious patients will not comment on how long it has been or on the condition of the teeth, since neither helps and both make future attendance less likely.
Yes. Many anxious patients book a first visit that involves only a conversation, meeting the team and seeing the surgery, with no examination or treatment. An examination can be arranged at a later appointment once the patient feels more comfortable.
Practical measures that help include agreeing a hand signal to stop treatment at any point, having each step explained before it happens, taking regular breaks, listening to music through headphones, bringing a companion, and breaking treatment into shorter appointments. Topical numbing gel before injections helps patients who find needles particularly difficult.
Croft Dental offers all types of dental sedation, from £350 for any treatment, with a bespoke quote once we know what you need. It is suitable for patients who would find treatment difficult and for longer surgical appointments. Patients receiving sedation must arrange for somebody to take them home afterwards. Whether sedation is appropriate is discussed at the consultation.
Contact the practice and explain both the pain and the anxiety when you call. Dental pain does not resolve on its own, and untreated infections can become serious. Practices experienced with anxious patients can usually arrange an appointment structured to make attendance manageable, and treating the pain is often the first priority.
Dental anxiety commonly stems from a previous painful or distressing experience, from feeling a loss of control while lying in the chair, from embarrassment about the condition of the teeth, or from fear of being judged. Around one in four UK adults reports significant dental anxiety, and a smaller proportion avoids dental care entirely as a result.
No. At Croft Dental, longer appointment times for anxious patients are part of how the practice works rather than a chargeable extra. Treatment fees are the same as for any other patient and are published in full, with written costs provided before any treatment begins.
Cancelling an appointment through anxiety is common and is not held against patients. Booking again is straightforward and nobody will mention the previous cancellation. Telling the practice that anxiety was the reason allows the next appointment to be arranged with that in mind.