For nervous patients
Comfort and sedation dentistry
Warm blankets, neck pillows, sunglasses and headphones in the chair, sedation dentistry for patients who need more, and emergency dental care at 3667 Braddock Drive in Lafayette.
Chapter 01
The comfort kit: warm blankets, neck pillows, sunglasses and headphones
At Mill Creek Family Dental, the hygienists keep a small comfort kit within reach. They offer warm blankets, comfy neck pillows, sunglasses and headphones to patients who may need a little extra help relaxing. If you are tense in the chair, you can ask for any of it. Nobody has to explain why.
Each piece answers one small, real problem. A warm blanket takes the chill off a chair that is tipped back. A neck pillow means your neck is not doing the work of holding your head. Sunglasses cut the glare of the exam light overhead, and headphones give you something to listen to besides the room. The practice adds one more invitation in its own words: you’re welcome to bring your iPod, as well.
The hygienists are described by the practice as gentle and caring, and the whole office aims to make you feel at home. Mill Creek Family Dental calls itself a place where you can smile among friends and set anxiety aside. It is a plain promise, and it starts with a folded blanket and a pair of headphones in a dental chair at 3667 Braddock Drive in Lafayette.
A folded fleece blanket and neck pillow on a dental chair, headphones on top and sunglasses on the armrest
Sedation dentistry for patients who need more than a blanket
For some people a blanket and headphones are not enough. The worry about a dental visit can be strong enough that people put off care they need. Mill Creek Family Dental practices sedation dentistry for patients in that spot, so that being nervous does not have to mean staying away.
This page does not name a method or a level, because the right option depends on you and on the treatment, and that choice belongs in a conversation with the office. When you call, ask which sedation options are available, which one suits you, and what to plan around it for the day of your visit. Dr. Cronkhite explains the diagnosis, the recommended treatment and your options, and he is described as a good listener, so bring your questions.
Ayanna George-Sharpe wrote in a Google review that she was usually terrified of the dentist, and that Dr. Cronkhite and his team “put me at ease from the get go.” As with any treatment here, the cost is discussed before anything moves forward, and your estimated insurance benefits are reviewed. The practice has also partnered with CareCredit for financing. Call 765-471-6025 and say you are nervous. That tells the front desk everything it needs to know.
Chapter 03
Emergency dental care, and no judgment
Mill Creek Family Dental offers emergency dental care. If a tooth breaks, an ache will not let up, or something feels wrong in your mouth, call the office at 765-471-6025 during business hours: Monday to Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Friday, 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The office is closed Saturday and Sunday. Call first, and the front desk will tell you what to do next.
Here is a line the practice puts in writing on its own site: “We won’t judge or criticize you.” People who arrive with an emergency have often not been to a dentist in a while, and some of them wait longer than they should because they are embarrassed about it. Nobody at the office is keeping score. The work is to help you feel better as soon as your dental concern begins.
Once the pain is handled, Dr. Cronkhite and his team do what they do for every patient: explain what was found, go over your options, and talk through the cost and your estimated insurance benefits before moving forward. They also share the dental care tips you need to stay healthy and, for families, to raise cavity-free kids. That is how an emergency visit in Lafayette turns into a dentist you are glad to have.
“I had a wonderful experience yesterday with my dental appointment. In fact, when my teeth were being cleaned by the dental assistant, I almost fell asleep she was so gentle.” Rick W., in a note left with the practice. Call 765-471-6025.