Who treats you
Dr. med. dent. M.Sc. Sandro Strößner and a team experienced with anxious patients; sedation and general anaesthesia with an anaesthetist on site.
First Appointment
A get-to-know-you conversation with no treatment. You talk, we listen; an examination only takes place if you want one.
Costs
Before every treatment, you receive a written treatment and cost plan showing your own contribution; patients with statutory and private health insurance are treated equally.
First Step
Message us instead of calling: via our online reception (the “Appointment” button), or by email; by phone on 03443 339 65 54.
“Dental anxiety isn't a matter of weak nerves – it's a serious medical condition that affects millions of people.”
Cone-beam CT scan, intraoral scans, structured assessment. The first appointment isn't treatment — it's a conversation backed by data.
Many patients tell us after their first treatment: “I wouldn't have thought it could be this relaxed.” That's exactly the experience we're aiming for.
Short videos in which our team answers the questions we're asked most often. No jargon, no sales pressure.
The videos provide general information and do not replace individual advice or examination. The course and outcome of treatment depend on personal circumstances; medicine offers no guarantee of success. All videos have subtitles.
You are not alone
If just the thought of visiting the dentist gives you a queasy feeling, if your heart beats faster the moment you think of checking in at reception, or if you keep putting off appointments – then, first of all, we want to tell you this: you are not alone, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. Very many people feel discomfort or pronounced anxiety about dental treatment. For some, it stays a slightly uneasy feeling; for others, it becomes a serious burden that accompanies everyday life.
Dental anxiety is not a character flaw and not a sign of being oversensitive. It is a deeply human response. Our bodies are designed to protect us from situations they perceive as threatening – and the mouth is a particularly sensitive, personal area. Anyone who has once experienced pain, loss of control or helplessness in the dentist's chair has a body that remembers it. That memory often resurfaces many years later, entirely beyond your conscious control.
The causes are as varied as people themselves. Sometimes there's a specific experience behind it, sometimes an accumulation of many small, unpleasant moments. Often, more than one trigger plays a part:
For some people, this fear is so pronounced that it is referred to as dental treatment phobia (dental phobia). In such cases, visits to the dentist are consistently avoided for years – often until acute symptoms leave no other choice. This is a distressing cycle, because avoidance brings short-term relief but allows the anxiety to keep growing in the long term, while concerns about the state of one's teeth grow at the same time. We would like to help you break this cycle – at your own pace, without pressure.
There are gentle approaches available for exactly this today. No one has to simply “endure” treatment. There are ways to make necessary treatment as pleasant and relaxed as possible – from a calm, honest conversation, through gentle reassurance, to sedation (twilight sleep) or treatment while asleep. We will work out together which approach suits you.
It can be reassuring to understand what happens in the body in such moments. Fear is an ancient protective mechanism: the body switches into a state of alarm, the heart beats faster, the muscles tense, and thoughts start racing. This is not imagined, and it is not something you are “just telling yourself” – these are entirely real physical processes. Knowing that these reactions are normal and will pass often already takes away some of their power. And knowing, on top of that, that you can take a break or set the pace at any time makes it easier to let go. This is exactly the sense of control we want to give back to you.
Our Promise to You
At the Zahnkompetenzzentrum Dr. med. dent. M.Sc. Sandro Strößner in Weißenfels, we take your anxiety seriously. For us, it is not a side issue to be quickly ticked off, but the starting point for everything that follows. Before we talk about teeth, we talk about you: about what worries you, about past experiences, and about what would help you feel safer. This listening is not a formality – it is the foundation of our work together.
Trust doesn't appear at the push of a button. It grows from the feeling of being understood and retaining control. That's why we pay attention to the things that often make the crucial difference for anxious patients:
Many people who come to see us for the first time have not been inside a dentist's practice for years. They often arrive with a feeling of shame. We want that feeling to ease as quickly as possible. No one is criticised here for being afraid or for staying away for a long time. On the contrary – simply engaging with this topic at all is already a big, courageous step, and one we recognise.
Our aim is not to talk you into anything. Our aim is to find a way together with you that you feel comfortable with – a way that suits your personal situation, your concerns, and your wishes. Sometimes that means gentle treatment while awake, with good local anaesthetic. Sometimes it means sedation (twilight sleep), of which you are barely aware. And sometimes it means treatment under general anaesthesia. We never decide what is right for you over your head.
Your Options
There is no single solution for dental anxiety, but rather different approaches that we can combine according to your needs and the extent of treatment required. We proceed carefully and in stages: as gently as possible, and as extensively as necessary for you. You do not need to commit to anything today – we will discuss the options calmly and decide together.
For many people, the first and most important step is a simple, honest conversation – with no treatment at all. Just getting to know each other, and having the rooms and processes explained, can take away a great deal of tension. Once you feel ready, we begin with small, well-plannable steps. Carefully administered local anaesthetic ensures that the area to be treated reliably becomes numb. We take our time for this and work as gently as possible.
Local anaesthetic is the basis of almost every dental treatment. It specifically switches off pain sensation in the area being worked on, while you remain awake and responsive. Especially for people who are afraid of injections, we make this moment particularly gentle and announce every step. Good local anaesthetic is also an important part of every other method – including sedation – so that you feel as little pain as possible during treatment.
With sedation, often referred to as twilight sleep, calming medication is given to you intravenously. It puts you into a state of deep relaxation and calm. Many people experience the treatment as if from far away, or barely remember it afterwards. Unlike with general anaesthesia, you breathe on your own and remain, in principle, responsive. Sedation is particularly suitable when anxiety is significant but general anaesthesia is not necessary or wanted, or when more extensive treatment is planned. You are continuously monitored throughout the sedation.
Under general anaesthesia, you sleep deeply and are unaware of the treatment itself. It is suitable for people with very pronounced anxiety, for very extensive procedures, for a strong gag reflex, or when several treatment steps are to be combined into a single session wherever possible. General anaesthesia is administered exclusively by qualified medical anaesthesia staff and closely monitored throughout. Whether general anaesthesia is suitable for you depends on your health, the planned procedure, and a careful preliminary examination – we clarify this conscientiously in advance.
Which method is right cannot be said in general terms. It depends on how strong your anxiety is, the extent of treatment needed, your health, and, not least, how you personally feel about it. We advise you openly about the advantages and disadvantages of each option, and make the decision together with you.
Many people put off visiting the dentist for years because of anxiety — and you are not alone in this. This short self-test gives you an honest initial assessment and shows you which options could make your next visit noticeably easier.
This self-test is intended purely as an initial guide. It does not replace a personal conversation or a dental diagnosis. Your answers never leave your device.
The First Step
The hardest step is often the first one – the decision to get in touch at all. To make this step easier, we want to show you exactly what to expect. Predictability reduces fear. You should know what you are getting into before you even set foot in the practice. At the initial introductory appointment, no treatment takes place as a rule, unless you expressly want it to.
Many people say that even this first appointment, without any treatment, already brought great relief – because they felt that someone was really listening to them and that they were not being pushed into anything. This first contact is your opportunity to get to know us and find out whether we are the right fit. Trust is the foundation – and trust is allowed to grow.
You are welcome to shape the first contact entirely around your own needs. If it helps to bring someone you trust along to accompany and support you, they are of course welcome to join you. If certain sounds, smells, or situations are particularly difficult for you, let us know – then we can take that into account. And if you would like to clarify questions before you even come in, please feel free to call us. There is no expectation you need to meet. The only measure that matters is that you feel as comfortable as possible.
Safety First
If you decide on treatment under sedation (twilight sleep) or general anaesthesia, it is only natural to have questions about safety. That is a good thing – and we are happy to answer these questions in detail. Safety is the highest priority for all procedures that go beyond local anaesthetic. No one is simply “put to sleep”. Every step follows a careful, planned process.
A detailed preliminary consultation always precedes any sedation or general anaesthesia. During this, we record your medical history, any existing conditions, allergies and all medications you are taking. This information is important so that the procedure can be tailored to you individually. Please be open and thorough here – every detail helps to make your treatment as safe as possible.
General anaesthesia and deeper sedation belong in the hands of specialists who focus exclusively on this. While the dental team takes care of your teeth, specialised medical anaesthesia staff watch over your sleep, your breathing and your circulation. This ensures that someone is devoting their full attention to your wellbeing throughout the procedure.
Throughout the entire treatment, your most important bodily functions are continuously monitored using modern technology. These generally include:
These readings are monitored continuously, so that we can respond immediately to any changes at any time. Provision is also made for unforeseen situations: emergency equipment and correspondingly trained staff are, of course, in place. After the procedure, you remain under observation until you are awake and stable again, and we can confidently hand you over into the care of your companion.
We want you to feel looked after. If you have further questions, just to be sure – go ahead and ask them. There is no detail too small to discuss. Your trust grows from knowing that everything has been thought of.
Well Prepared
Treatment under sedation (twilight sleep) or general anaesthesia can be well prepared for – and the better prepared you are, the more relaxed the day will be. Naturally, we will go through the following points with you again, personally and individually, before your appointment. This overview is intended to help you get a clear picture in advance and not forget anything.
You must be fasting before sedation or general anaesthesia. This means you must not eat or drink anything for a specified period before the procedure. We will let you know the exact times in good time before your appointment. Please be sure to follow this – fasting is an important safety measure. Smoking and chewing gum should also be avoided during this period.
After sedation or general anaesthesia, you must not drive a car or ride a bicycle yourself, or operate machinery, for the rest of the day. The medication continues to have an effect for some time, even if you feel fit again yourself. Please be sure to arrange for an adult companion to take you home safely and, ideally, to stay with you for the first few hours. For safety reasons, treatment under general anaesthesia cannot take place without a companion.
Rest for the remainder of the day and do not overexert yourself. Do not make any important decisions or sign anything significant while the medication is still having an effect. We will give you clear instructions on how to behave after the procedure, what to look out for, and how to reach us with any questions. You will never be left alone with unanswered questions.
Everything at once
Some people avoid the dentist for so long that several teeth need attention at the same time. The thought of having to get through many individual appointments for this is often almost unbearable for anxious patients. This is where treatment under sedation (twilight sleep) or general anaesthesia offers a major advantage: it is possible to combine several necessary treatment steps into a single session.
This means you do not have to keep summoning up tension and willpower again and again. Instead of many separate appointments that you might dread each time, a comprehensive restoration can take place in a protected setting – and you wake up once the essential work has already been done. Whether, and to what extent, this is sensible and possible in your case depends on the findings, the planned scope of treatment and your state of health. We plan this together, carefully.
The cost of anxiety-friendly treatment is made up of the actual dental treatment and, depending on the option chosen, the cost of sedation or general anaesthesia. For patients with statutory health insurance, the dental services are billed under the insurer's scale of benefits; an out-of-pocket share may apply for higher-value treatment. The cost of sedation or general anaesthesia is, in many cases, a private service and is not automatically covered by statutory health insurance – though cover may be possible in certain medically justified situations. We will check with you whether this applies in your case. Before treatment begins, you will receive a clear, written treatment and cost plan, so that you have full transparency and no later surprises. Privately insured patients and those entitled to Beihilfe should clarify the extent of reimbursement with their insurer in advance. Please feel free to talk to us – we will explain each item calmly and without jargon.
The Zahnkompetenzzentrum Dr. med. dent. M.Sc. Sandro Strößner is here for you in Weißenfels – close to home for people from the town and the whole surrounding area of the Burgenlandkreis. Especially when even the journey to an anxiety-friendly appointment already takes courage, it helps to have a point of contact nearby, without long distances to travel. If you would like to take the first step, you can reach us on 03443 339 65 54. You are welcome to simply tell us that you are anxious – that is exactly what we are here for.
Dental anxiety is not a question of weak nerves – it is a serious medical situation that affects millions of people. It is often rooted in early negative experiences; sometimes individual experiences have left such a lasting impression that the mere thought of dental treatment triggers physical reactions. We take this seriously.
At our Zahnkompetenzzentrum in Weißenfels, a specially trained team works with anxious patients. Depending on your individual situation, we offer: reassuring conversations before treatment, sedation (twilight sleep) with an anaesthetist, or general anaesthesia.
What convinced me was the absence of marketing. No promises. Just planning, explanation, execution. I had eight implants placed and didn't even feel like I'd made a difficult decision.
I was an anxious patient for fifty years. Today, I am no longer one. Not because my anxiety has disappeared, but because this team took it seriously, without ever making a drama out of it.
At the Zahnkompetenzzentrum
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