If the thought of a dental appointment makes your stomach drop, you’re in good company. Recent research on dental anxiety puts the number of adults who feel real fear about dental visits at well over a third of the population, and a large share say they’d be interested in sedation if it were offered. At Smile Glen Ellyn, sedation dentistry isn’t an afterthought; instead, it’s a core part of how we practice. Dr. Thomas Gibbs is licensed to provide nitrous oxide, oral conscious sedation, and IV sedation. He is among the small percentage of Illinois dentists trained and permitted to administer deep sedation.
Whether you’ve avoided the dentist for years, have a strong gag reflex, are difficult to numb, or simply want a more relaxed experience for a longer procedure, we build a sedation plan around you.
Call (630) 858-8800 to schedule a consultation with our sedation dentist in Glen Ellyn, or keep reading to find the sedation option that fits your needs.
Sedation isn’t only for patients with a diagnosed phobia. Common reasons patients ask us about it include:
If any of that sounds familiar, a sedation consultation, not just a regular cleaning, is the right first appointment to book.
Smile Glen Ellyn is located at 26 North Park Boulevard in downtown Glen Ellyn, convenient to patients throughout DuPage County, including Wheaton, Lombard, Glendale Heights, Carol Stream, and Winfield. If you’ve searched “sedation dentistry near me” because a nearby office wouldn’t offer anything beyond a mild oral pill, or because your case felt too complex for a general dental office to handle comfortably, this is the practice built for that gap.
We offer three levels of sedation so treatment can be matched to how anxious you are and how much work needs to be done, rather than defaulting to the deepest (or lightest) option available.
Nitrous oxide is the lightest form of sedation we offer and a good starting point for mild to moderate nervousness. It’s breathed in through a small nasal mask during treatment, takes effect within minutes, and wears off almost as quickly once the mask comes off. Most patients are comfortable driving themselves home afterward.
Side effects are minimal and typically limited to slight lightheadedness during the appointment itself. Nitrous oxide works well for routine procedures like cleanings, fillings, and short restorative work where you want to take the edge off without being fully sedated.
Oral sedation uses a prescription pill, taken about an hour before your appointment and sometimes supplemented in-office, to bring on a deeply relaxed, drowsy state. Most patients remain conscious and able to respond but have little to no memory of the procedure afterward.
This option suits patients with moderate to high anxiety who need a shorter appointment, have a hard time getting numb, or deal with gagging. You’ll need a driver, since the sedative effects last roughly four to six hours. If oral sedation alone isn’t enough to keep you comfortable, we can transition to IV sedation mid-appointment rather than stopping treatment.
IV sedation is the deepest, most precisely controlled option we provide, and the one that requires special state licensing—fewer than 2% of general dentists in Illinois are permitted to administer it. Because the sedative is delivered directly into the bloodstream, Dr. Gibbs can adjust the depth of sedation in real time throughout your procedure, and most patients have no memory of the appointment at all.
IV sedation is typically recommended for patients with severe dental phobia, complex oral surgery, extensive treatment in a single visit, or medical conditions that make oral sedatives insufficient. Recovery typically takes two to four hours, and you’ll need someone to drive you home and stay with you afterward.
Sedation dentistry cost depends on which option you choose and how long your appointment runs. As a general guide:
Dental insurance sometimes covers sedation when it’s medically necessary—for complex oral surgery, for example—but rarely covers sedation requested purely for comfort. Our team verifies your specific benefits before your appointment so there are no surprises, and we’re happy to walk through financing options if needed. Call (630) 858-8800 for a cost estimate based on your treatment plan.
As one of the few dental practitioners in Illinois licensed to administer both oral and IV sedation, Dr. Thomas Gibbs maintains active memberships in both the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation and the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology. Our entire clinical team engages in ongoing training in sedation safety protocols to ensure that every patient—no matter their level of anxiety—receives patient, non-judgmental care.
Modern dental care has transformed patient comfort with significant advancements, including advanced anesthetics, dental lasers, and state-of-the-art “Wand” syringeless delivery systems.
We have guided many patients who initially required a supportive friend just to walk through our doors, only to see them transition into confident, regular patients within a single year.
Yes. When administered by a properly licensed and trained provider, sedation dentistry has a strong safety record. Dr. Gibbs holds the specialized Illinois licensing required for IV sedation, and vital signs are monitored continuously throughout every sedated procedure.
It comes down to your anxiety level, the length and complexity of your procedure, and your medical history. A sedation consultation at our Glen Ellyn office is the best way to get a specific recommendation rather than guessing based on what a friend had done.
For oral and IV sedation, you’ll typically need to avoid food and drink for several hours beforehand—we’ll give you exact timing based on your appointment. Nitrous oxide usually doesn’t require fasting, but we’ll confirm during your consultation.
Yes, for both oral and IV sedation. Nitrous oxide wears off quickly enough that most patients can drive themselves, but oral and IV sedation effects can last several hours, so plan for a driver and, ideally, someone to stay with you afterward.
You don’t have to keep putting off dental care because of fear, a bad experience, or embarrassment. Call Smile Glen Ellyn at (630) 858-8800 or request an appointment online to talk through your sedation options with a team that won’t rush or judge you. We welcome patients from Wheaton, Lombard, Glendale Heights, Carol Stream, Winfield, and throughout DuPage County who are specifically looking for a dentist licensed for IV sedation rather than nitrous oxide alone.
We’ve filled our website with information about our doctors, our team, and our services including family dentistry we offer, location, maps and business hours. Please feel free to take a look around to learn more about what we do and how we can help keep your smile healthy and stunning for a lifetime. We want you to feel confident that when you choose us, you’re choosing to receive the best dental care available.
