If dental visits make you nervous, choosing a dentist in Timonium is about more than location and a nice waiting room. Look for a dentist who listens before treating, explains your options and costs before anything begins, offers more than one level of sedation, uses technology that reduces the sensations people dread, handles most of your care under one roof, and has a clear plan for emergencies. Those are the things that decide whether an anxious patient keeps coming back.
This guide from the Timonium office of Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS covers what to look for, the questions worth asking when you call, and how to tell whether a practice is a good fit for someone who finds the dentist hard. If you are specifically comparing cosmetic dentists, read how to choose a cosmetic dentist in Timonium, and if you are moving from another office, see switching dentists in Timonium.
Start with how the office makes you feel
For a nervous patient, the first phone call says a lot. Notice whether the person who answers is patient with your questions, whether you feel comfortable saying that you are anxious, and whether you get clear answers about what a first visit involves. A practice that treats anxiety as normal, rather than as an inconvenience, is more likely to plan your visits around it.
If you can, look at photos of the office or take a virtual tour before you book. Knowing what the waiting area and treatment rooms look like takes away one more unknown on the day.
What to look for in a dentist when you are anxious
A dentist who listens first
The right dentist starts with a conversation, not a drill. You should hear what needs doing, what can safely wait and why, before any treatment is scheduled. That conversation is also your chance to explain what makes dental visits hard for you.
More than one sedation option
Anxiety comes in different sizes, so one option rarely suits everyone. Ask whether the practice offers laughing gas, oral conscious sedation and a deeper option for longer treatment, and how each one affects getting home afterward.
Technology that reduces common triggers
Much of dental anxiety is about sensation: vibration, pressure, gagging on impression material, biting down on hard X-ray film. Tools that reduce those sensations make a real difference for nervous patients.
Clear answers about cost and insurance
Worry about the bill is its own form of dental anxiety. A good practice explains fees before treatment and tells you plainly how insurance and payment plans work, including whether it is out of network.
Care under one roof
Being referred from office to office means new places and new faces each time. A general dentist who can handle checkups, fillings, crowns, extractions, root canals and implants in the same office keeps your dental history in one place and keeps the people familiar.
A plan for emergencies
Find out what happens if you break a tooth or wake up with a swollen face. Knowing who to call, and when you can be seen, is reassuring long before you ever need it.
Experience you can check
Look for training, credentials and years in practice that are published and specific, and read patient reviews that mention nerves or anxiety.
A location and hours that fit your life
Convenience matters more than it sounds. A dentist you can reach easily, at times that suit your schedule, is a dentist you are more likely to keep seeing.
Questions to ask when you call
- I get anxious at the dentist. How do you plan around that?
- What sedation options do you offer, and do I need a ride for each?
- Will I know the cost of treatment before it starts?
- How do you handle insurance, and do you offer financing?
- Which treatments do you provide in the office, and which do you refer out?
- What happens if I have a dental emergency?
- Can I fill out forms before I arrive?
Signs a practice may not be the right fit
- You feel hurried on the phone or in the chair.
- Treatment starts before you understand what it is or what it costs.
- Your anxiety is dismissed or joked about.
- Answers about payment are vague.
- You are seen by someone new every time and have to explain yourself again.
How Dr. Haywood’s practice answers those questions
Listening first. Every visit starts with a conversation. The team walks you through what needs doing, what can safely wait and what it costs, and you see the same familiar faces at every visit.
Sedation. Laughing gas is offered as a complimentary service and lets you drive yourself home. Oral conscious sedation is a pill taken about an hour before your appointment, and you need a ride. See sedation dentistry in Timonium.
Gentler technology. Air abrasion removes small areas of decay with no heat, pressure or vibration. The iTero Element scanner creates a 3D image in about 2½ minutes with less tendency toward gagging. Digital X-rays are more comfortable than film and use as much as 90 percent less radiation exposure. See the practice’s dental technology.
A spa-like office. Paraffin wax hand treatments, aromatherapy and a Nespresso station, with every treatment room cleaned and sterilized after each patient. Take the office tour.
Emergencies. Dr. Haywood is available anytime for true dental emergencies for existing patients and their friends and families. New patients with emergency needs can be seen on weekdays during normal business hours, based on availability. See emergency dental care.
Experience. Dr. Haywood graduated with distinction from the University of Detroit dental school in 1987, completed a U.S. Air Force advanced residency, is a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and has over 35 years of experience.
General dentistry in Timonium, MD, under one roof
The practice provides check-ups and digital X-rays, professional cleanings that last a full 60 minutes, tooth-colored mercury-free fillings, oral cancer screenings, gum disease treatment, crowns, root canals, extractions when a tooth cannot be saved, dental implants, Invisalign, cosmetic dentistry and holistic care, all in the same Timonium office. Learn more about general dentistry.
Office hours are Monday 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM, Tuesday 8:30 AM to 5 PM, Wednesday 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, Thursday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM and Friday 8:30 AM to 4 PM, closed on weekends. The office is in Timonium Green, with a parking lot off Greenspring Dr.
Paying for your care
The practice is out of network with all dental insurance companies. You pay at the time of your visit, and the office files the claim on your behalf so your plan can reimburse you for what it covers. Health savings and flex plans are welcome. Financing is available through CareCredit, with no-interest options for up to 12 months, and Cherry, with payment plans from 3 to 24 months. See financing options.
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose a general dentist or a specialist?
For most people, a general dentist is the right home base: someone who keeps your dental history and looks after your teeth and gums over the years, and who can explain when something else is needed.
Is the practice accepting new patients?
Yes. New patients are always welcome. You can save time by completing your new patient forms online before your first visit.
Can I meet the dentist before agreeing to treatment?
Yes. Start with a relaxed, no-pressure consultation and decide on treatment when you are ready.
What if fear has kept me away for years?
You are not the only one, and you will not be judged. Read how to get past fear of the dentist for practical first steps.
Meet a dentist in Timonium who plans around your nerves
If you are looking for a dentist who takes anxiety seriously, request an appointment or call (410) 453-9399 and tell the team how you feel. The office of Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS is at 108 W Timonium Rd, Ste 200, Timonium, MD 21093, serving Timonium, Lutherville, Cockeysville, Towson and Baltimore.
Ready to see your future smile?
Meet a Timonium dentist who listens first and plans around your nerves.
