If the thought of the dentist makes your stomach drop, you’re in the right place. At Solutions Dental Clinic in Winchester, we help anxious patients with a calm, unhurried approach, sedation when it’s wanted, and a dentist trained in managing fear. As of June 2026, you can book a first visit that’s just a chat, with no treatment at all.
So take a breath. Let’s talk about why this is so common, and how it gets easier.
Dental fear is one of the most common anxieties there is. Plenty of people put off going for years, then feel embarrassed about the wait, which only makes the next step harder.
Here’s the thing: that fear is real and understandable, and nobody at Solutions will judge you for it. Many of our patients arrive having avoided dentists for a long time, often after a bad experience somewhere else. They’re not unusual. They’re the people we’re set up to help.
You don’t have to apologise for being nervous. You just have to walk through the door.
Fear of the dentist usually starts somewhere specific: a painful appointment as a child, a clinician who rushed you, a feeling of having no control in the chair. Over time, avoidance feeds the fear. The longer you stay away, the more you worry about what might be found.
It becomes a loop. Anxiety leads to avoidance, avoidance leads to problems, problems lead to more anxiety. Breaking that loop gently is the whole point of how we work.
And it can be broken. Often more easily than people expect.
Your first appointment can be exactly as small as you need it to be. For many nervous patients, that means no instruments and no treatment, just a conversation about what worries you and what you’d like to change.
We go at your pace. You can ask to stop at any point, agree a signal to pause, and take breaks. The clinic is calm and welcoming by design, and patients regularly mention the patience and time taken as the thing that finally made the difference. There are weekend and out-of-hours appointments too, with emergency cover available every day of the year through The247Dentist, so help is there when you need it.
No lectures about flossing. Just a plan you feel in control of.
Sometimes reassurance is enough. Sometimes a little extra help makes everything calmer, and that’s completely fine. Sedation uses safe, carefully monitored medication to help you feel relaxed and detached during treatment, while staying conscious.
It’s particularly useful if you need a longer procedure, or if past experiences have left you very tense. You’ll be talked through what it feels like beforehand, and what to expect afterwards, so nothing comes as a surprise. Dr Sami Shubber, who is sedation-trained, will only ever suggest what genuinely suits you.
This is where Solutions Dental Clinic offers something unusual in Winchester. Dr Sami Shubber is a Registered Specialist Oral Surgeon, and he has also completed training in cognitive behavioural therapy, the same kind of approach used to help people manage anxiety more broadly.
Why does that matter? Because numbing the moment is one thing, but understanding the fear itself is another. CBT training means he can help address the thoughts that drive the anxiety, not only the sensation in the chair. That’s a rarer skill than you might think, and it’s exactly what nervous patients benefit from.
He also served as Vice-chair of the BDA Young Dentists Committee, so he’s a clinician engaged with how dentistry treats people, not just teeth.
The promise is simple. We won’t rush you, we won’t make you feel guilty about the state of your teeth or how long it’s been, and we won’t start anything you haven’t agreed to.
Some people come for a chat, then a clean, then build up slowly to the treatment they’ve been avoiding. Others feel ready sooner. Both are fine. If you’d like to put a face to the team before you visit, you can meet Dr Sami Shubber and the team first. When you’re ready, even simpler treatments like professional teeth whitening can be a gentle way to rebuild your confidence in the chair.
How can I overcome my fear of the dentist?
Start small. A first visit that’s just a conversation, with no treatment, helps you build trust at your own pace. Choosing a clinic that understands anxiety matters too. At Solutions Dental Clinic in Winchester, Dr Sami Shubber is trained in cognitive behavioural therapy, so he can help with the fear itself, not only the dental work.
What sedation options are there at the dentist?
Sedation helps you feel calm and relaxed during treatment while staying conscious, and it’s monitored carefully throughout. It’s useful for longer procedures or for very anxious patients. At Solutions Dental Clinic in Winchester, Dr Sami Shubber is sedation-trained and will explain what it feels like beforehand, recommending it only when it genuinely suits you and your treatment.
Is dental sedation safe?
When carried out and monitored by trained professionals, sedation is considered very safe. You’ll be assessed first, talked through the process, and watched closely throughout. At Solutions Dental Clinic in Winchester, Dr Sami Shubber, who is sedation-trained, will check it’s suitable for you and answer every question before anything begins, so you feel fully informed.
Can a dentist help with anxiety?
Yes, and some are better equipped than others. Beyond a calm environment and an unhurried approach, Dr Sami Shubber at Solutions Dental Clinic in Winchester is trained in cognitive behavioural therapy, which helps address the anxious thoughts behind dental fear. That, combined with sedation when wanted, gives nervous patients real support rather than just sympathy.
What if I haven’t been to the dentist in years?
That’s far more common than you’d think, and nobody will judge you for it. The team at Solutions Dental Clinic in Winchester is used to welcoming people back after long gaps. Your first visit can simply be a chat about your worries, with no treatment and no lectures, so you can rebuild trust gently and at your own pace.
You don’t have to book a treatment. You can just book a conversation. That’s often all it takes to start feeling better about the dentist again. Reach out to Solutions Dental Clinic in Winchester.
Call 01962 864 655 or visit Solutions Dental Clinic to arrange a gentle first visit at your pace.
Just a quick note to say a huge thank you for all your great work, I really never thought I could have a smile like the one you have given me, unless of course I spent a lot more money than I have.
Having reached the end of my major implant treatment I must compliment you both, and your staff, on the excellent standards of patient care that you have provided.
Thank you for my new dentures, made and fitted with a minimum of appointments,
excellent service and attention, highly recommended, money and time well spent.
Firstly thank you so very much for my new dentures which will completely transform my life going forward. Having completely given up on dentist after many a bad experience it came to the point where I needed to find a solution as my teeth became loose and we're falling out, this coupled with being very very nervous led me on my search.
