How much does IV sedation cost? Our price, and what it actually covers

The short answer: IV sedation at Rugby Smiles costs £500 per session, added to the cost of the treatment done while you are sedated. Across the UK, private IV sedation typically runs from about £200 to £600 a session, with some clinics charging by the hour instead. Ours is a flat session price, whatever we manage to do in it.

Nobody enjoys asking what sedation costs, especially after years of avoiding the dentist, so let me put it all in one place: our price, what it includes, why it is what it is, how it compares, and the honest ways to bring the total down. No estimate from us is ever a surprise, because you get it in writing before you book.

Looking at published prices from practices around the country, private IV sedation is usually quoted somewhere between £200 and £600 per session. Some London clinics charge per hour, which can reach four figures for long surgical appointments. Inhalation sedation with gas and air is cheaper, often £50 to £150, but it is much lighter and does not suit people with real fear. Oral sedation tablets sit in between and are less predictable, which is why we do not rely on them for anxious adults.

On the NHS, sedation is only available in limited circumstances, generally through hospital or community dental services after referral, and waiting times are long. It is not offered for routine or cosmetic treatment. For most nervous adults who want treatment done soon, private sedation is the realistic route.

Two clinicians instead of one, for the whole appointment. Sedation requires a trained sedationist and a second trained person watching you, plus monitoring equipment, emergency drugs and the recovery time afterwards, all of which have to be scheduled around one patient. It is not a mark-up on a normal appointment; it is a different kind of appointment. You can read how the day runs on our IV sedation page.

Every quote is itemised so you can see the treatment and the sedation separately. If a cheaper route would do the job, we tell you. Our full price list is on the pricing page.

0% finance is available on larger treatment plans through our finance partner, with interest-free terms of up to 12 months and longer terms at 14.9% APR for bigger plans. Members of our Dental Plan, from £22 a month, get 10% off routine treatment. We will show you the monthly figures at your consultation so you can decide with real numbers in front of you.