My hands were trembling when I picked up the phone and I was whispering prayers to myself,” said Edna Drye.
Like many others, Edna was a dental phobic. She was willing to give up her favorite foods, to stop smiling at her friends and loved ones and to suffer in silence. Anything was better than picking up the phone to schedule an appointment with a dentist.
Edna was in her mid-fifties when she looked in the yellow pages to find the name of a dentist who could help her. She found the image of a smiling dentist who offered, “care for the high fear patient”. When a friendly voice answered and offered to send her information about how they could help, she hung up the telephone with both relief and trepidation. A few days later information came in the mail telling her how sedation dentistry could help her get back the smile she wanted. “I wanted the smile I had in my wedding photo,” says Edna. She read the material over and over. Then she made the choice to get the much needed care she deserved. She called the office again and scheduled an appointment.
Edna had lived with the pain in her mouth for decades, leaving her dentally handicapped. The beautiful smile she displayed in the photos of her wedding day was a smile the groom had not seen in years. Why had she become so debilitated? Because she was afraid and she’s not alone. Nearly one third of Americans are just like her.
Today, Edna’s beautiful smile has been completely restored thanks to the wonders of Sedation Dentistry. She no longer needs to fear the dentist’s chair, and she will tell anyone she meets the same thing can happen for them.
National health studies estimate that up to 57% of people in the U.S. don’t see a dentist regularly. What is the cost of untreated dental disease – and how can it be fixed?
The Washington Department of Health states that 164 million hours of work are lost each year in the U.S. due to dental disease. These lost wages and the overall effect on the nation’s economy runs into billions of dollars. Additionally, according to a study by Western Reserve University, 51 million school days are lost by students due to tooth pain. The U.S. Surgeon General reported in May, 2000 that dental disease, including decay, gum disease, oral cancers, and facial pain is the “neglected epidemic.”
Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation (DOCS) trained Dr. Robin Steely, DDS and he has made adult oral sedation dentistry treatment available at his office. An estimated 30% of the population who avoid dental care, due to fear, can now be safely and effectively treated with the assistance of oral sedatives. Patients who were once anxious and fearful – and put off having their dental work completed – can receive their dental care while they are totally relaxed and comfortable.

