If you haven't been to the dentist in years, you're not alone. Not by a long shot.
Maybe it's been 5 years. Maybe 10. Maybe you honestly can't remember the last time you sat in a dental chair. And at this point, two things are probably true: you know you need to go, and the longer you wait, the harder it feels to start.
The embarrassment builds. You imagine the dentist looking in your mouth and reacting. You picture a lecture about flossing. You assume the damage is catastrophic and the cost will be devastating. So you push it one more month. Then one more year.
Here's what actually happens when you come back to the dentist after years away — at least at our practice. And here's why it's nothing like what you're imagining.
Nobody Is Going to Judge You
This has to be said first because it's the thing that keeps most people away.
You are not going to be lectured. You are not going to be shamed. You are not going to see disappointment on anyone's face when you open your mouth.
At Sedation & Implants, patients who haven't been to the dentist in years aren't the exception. They're our core patient base. Dr. Ruslan Maidans built this practice specifically for people like you. The team you'll meet has seen everything — decades of neglect, severe decay, missing teeth, gum disease, broken teeth held together with superglue. Nothing surprises them and nothing changes the way they treat you.
You walked through the door. That took courage. Everything that follows is our job, not yours.
What Your First Appointment Looks Like
Your first visit is a consultation. It's free. And it's designed to be low-pressure by design. Here's the step-by-step:
You Arrive
You walk into our office at 491 Gold Star Highway, Suite 300, in Groton, CT. You check in at the front desk. If you're nervous, that's fine. Most of our new patients are. The waiting area is comfortable and quiet — no blaring TVs, no screaming kids from a pediatric practice next door.
You Meet Dr. Rus
Dr. Ruslan Maidans meets with you personally. Not a hygienist. Not an assistant. The doctor. He'll ask about your health history, what medications you take, and what brought you in. He'll ask about your dental history, including how long it's been since your last visit.
When you say "it's been ten years" or "I honestly don't know," he doesn't flinch. He hears this multiple times a day.
Imaging and Examination
Dr. Rus will take x-rays or a 3D scan to get a complete picture of what's going on. This is quick and painless — no instruments in your mouth yet, no scraping, no drilling. Just imaging.
Then he'll do a visual examination. He's looking at the overall condition of your teeth and gums, checking for decay, assessing bone levels, and noting anything that needs attention.
The Honest Conversation
After the exam, Dr. Rus will sit down with you and explain what he found. In plain language. No jargon. No sugarcoating, but no catastrophizing either.
He'll tell you what needs to happen, in what order of priority:
- What's urgent (infections, pain sources, teeth that can't be saved)
- What's important (decay that will get worse if left alone, gum disease that needs treatment)
- What's cosmetic or optional (things you might want but don't strictly need)
You'll get a treatment plan. You'll see the cost. And then — this is important — you decide. There's no "you need to schedule today" pressure. No limited-time offers. Your treatment plan is valid whenever you're ready.
What Years of Absence Actually Does to Your Teeth
You've probably been imagining the worst. Here's what we actually see, so you can calibrate your expectations:
If It's Been 3-5 Years
Most patients in this range have some cavities, early to moderate gum disease, and tartar buildup. This is usually manageable with a few restorative appointments — fillings, maybe a crown or two, and a deep cleaning to get your gums healthy again.
If It's Been 5-10 Years
You're more likely to see larger cavities, one or more teeth that need crowns or may need extraction, moderate gum disease, and visible tartar above and below the gumline. Some patients have a tooth that broke and they've been working around it. This is fixable. All of it.
If It's Been 10-20 Years or More
Here's where we see more extensive damage: multiple teeth that can't be saved, advanced gum disease with bone loss, possible infection or abscess, and significant decay. But even in these cases, modern dentistry can restore your mouth completely. Dental implants replace missing teeth permanently. Full-mouth rehabilitation rebuilds everything.
The important thing to understand: no matter how bad it is, it's treatable. We have seen worse, and we've fixed it. The question is never "can this be fixed?" It's "how do we fix it in a way that works for you?"
How Sedation Changes the Math
If you haven't been to the dentist in years, the amount of work you need may feel overwhelming. Eight cavities. Three crowns. Two extractions. A deep cleaning. If you imagine doing all of that across ten separate appointments — each one requiring you to build up the courage to walk through the door — it feels impossible.
IV sedation compresses that timeline dramatically.
Under IV sedation, Dr. Rus can accomplish in one or two long appointments what would otherwise take months of visits. You arrive, the IV starts, you drift into a deep twilight state, and when you come to, hours of work are complete.
Patients who haven't been to the dentist in years typically complete their entire treatment plan in 2-4 sedation visits instead of 8-12 conventional appointments. That's 2-4 times you have to be brave. Not 12.
And for each of those visits, you remember little or nothing about the procedure itself. The anxiety doesn't accumulate. Each visit, you arrive, you drift off, you come to, and more of the work is done.
The Cost Question
If you haven't been to the dentist in years, cost is probably your second biggest concern after embarrassment. Here's how to think about it:
Your consultation is free. You'll know exactly what treatment costs before you commit to anything.
Sedation is included in your treatment plan. You won't see it as a surprise add-on. When we present your total cost, sedation is part of the number.
HSA and FSA funds apply. If you have a health savings account or flexible spending account through your employer, dental treatment and sedation are eligible expenses. Pre-tax dollars can make a significant difference.
Financing is available. For larger treatment plans, third-party financing offers payment plans, including 0% interest options. We'll walk you through the details during your consultation.
Insurance helps more than you think. Even though we're out-of-network, many PPO plans reimburse a significant portion of dental work. We provide everything your insurance company needs to process your claim.
The cost of treatment today is almost always less than the cost of treatment next year. Problems don't get cheaper with time. They get more complex.
What to Do Before Your First Appointment
If you've decided to come in — or if you're still deciding — here are a few practical things:
Make a list of medications you take. This matters for sedation planning and for understanding your overall health.
Write down what bothers you. Pain? A tooth that broke? Difficulty chewing? Embarrassment about your smile? All of these help Dr. Rus prioritize your treatment plan.
Bring your insurance card if you have dental insurance. Even if you're not sure whether it covers anything, we can check your benefits and tell you exactly what applies.
Bring a friend or family member if that helps you feel more comfortable. Many patients do. They sit in the consultation with you and help you process the information.
Don't brush extra hard before you come in. We see this a lot — patients scrub their teeth aggressively the morning of their appointment, trying to make things look better. Please don't. We need to see the real picture so we can give you accurate treatment recommendations.
The Patients Who Come Before You
You might find it helpful to know who else walks through our door:
The construction worker who broke a tooth three years ago and has been chewing on one side ever since. The retired teacher who stopped going after a bad experience with a previous dentist. The young mom who put everyone else's health first and let her own slip. The business executive who manages million-dollar accounts but can't bring himself to call a dental office.
Dental avoidance doesn't discriminate. It crosses every age, income, and education level. And the reason is almost always the same: a combination of fear and shame that feeds on itself the longer you stay away.
Every one of these patients will tell you the same thing after their first visit: "I wish I had done this sooner."
The Only Step That Matters
You don't have to fix everything today. You don't have to commit to a treatment plan today. You don't even have to open your mouth today if you're not ready.
You just have to make the call.
Your consultation at Sedation & Implants is free. Dr. Ruslan Maidans will listen, examine, explain, and answer every question. No judgment. No pressure. And no one wondering why it's been so long.
Call (860) 445-1330 or visit sedationimplants.com. One phone call. That's the whole first step.
We'll handle everything from there.