For Patients · If you're nervous or it's been years

Scared of the dentist? Nothing happens without your OK.

You can stop at any time. Raise a hand and we stop — no explanation needed, and nothing goes on until you say so.

If dental anxiety has kept you away for years, that's fine. Your first visit can be just a conversation with Eric Oh, DDS MS, a general dentist.

Sora Dentistry comfort menu, all complimentary: noise-canceling headphones, tinted eyewear, plush blanket, neck pillow, TV and remote, a warm individually wrapped cotton towel, still water, coffee or tea, and free Wi-Fi. A note adds that nitrous oxide is a treatment Dr. Oh may recommend, billed like any other treatment.

Our comfort menu. Just ask any of us.

Four things that are true here

We can't promise how you'll feel. We can tell you what will and won't happen.

You can stop at any time

One honest limit: once a step is underway, there can be a moment when finishing is safer than stopping. If that moment exists, Dr. Oh will tell you before he starts, so you know where your stop works before anything begins.

The experience most often behind severe dental fear is feeling helpless in the chair. That is why control comes first here.

Your first visit can be just a conversation

No instruments, no exam, no x-rays unless you ask for them. You'll sit down with Dr. Oh — in the chair or not, your choice — and talk about what has kept you away.

Some people leave with a plan. Some leave with a second appointment. Some just leave, and come back when they're ready. All three are fine with us.

Every step explained before it happens

Before anything happens, you'll know what it is, why, and how long it takes. Dr. Oh shows you what he sees on the screen and walks you through it in plain words.

Tell him how much detail you want. Some people want every step; some want only the headline. Either is fine, and you can change your mind mid-visit.

If he finds something he didn't expect, he pauses wherever it's safe to and shows you that too, before deciding anything with you.

If your fear is severe, say so

Tell us before the first visit — a quick call is fine. It is not a rare thing to tell a dentist — dental fear is common, and we hear it often.

The options are mostly practical: we book extra time, you can take breaks, and your stop signal is agreed before anything starts. Whatever we decide together, the first three still stand.

If your anxiety is severe, ask about it at the conversation visit. Dr. Oh offers nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) in the office for patients who need help relaxing. It is a treatment he may recommend, decided at your visit: it is billed like any other treatment and may be covered by insurance.

For deeper sedation, we work with licensed dental anesthesiologists who hold the New Jersey permit for it. They come to our office, administer it, and stay until you're ready to go home.

And two practical ones

A familiar face
You see Dr. Oh at your visits, so you won't be re-explaining yourself to someone new each time.
Call us first
From first call to booking, everything happens at your pace.

Questions we hear

What if I haven't been to the dentist in years?
Many people are in that position, and it changes nothing about how you'll be received here. Come in for a conversation first. If you want an exam, Dr. Oh will show you what he sees and tell you honestly what's worth doing — and what isn't.
Will you judge me for the condition of my teeth?
No. Dr. Oh would rather know you well than treat you fast, and that starts with hearing how you got here — without a lecture. We'll look at where things stand today and go from there.
Can I stop during the appointment?
Yes, at any time. Raise your hand and we stop, then talk, and only go on when you say so. The one honest limit: if a step is underway where finishing is safer than stopping, he'll tell you that before he starts.
Can my first visit be just a conversation?
Yes. That's the visit we suggest for most people who are nervous. No instruments, no exam, no x-rays unless you ask. You can sit in the chair or across from it — your choice.
What happens at the first appointment?
You talk with Dr. Oh about what has kept you away and what you'd want from a visit, if anything. If you'd like him to look, he will, and he'll show you what he sees on the screen. If you wouldn't, that's the whole visit.
What if I panic in the chair?
Then we stop. We'll give you room, talk if you want to, and decide together whether to go on, reschedule, or leave it for another day. It happens in dental offices, and you don't need to apologize for it.
Should I tell you I'm scared of the dentist?
Yes, please — a quick call before the visit is enough. It tells us to book extra time, to start with a conversation, and to ask how much detail you want. You don't have to explain why.
Do you treat patients with dental anxiety?
We see them, yes. Dr. Oh is a general dentist, not a therapist, so he doesn't treat the anxiety itself. What he can change is what happens in the room: you can stop, we book extra time, and each step is explained first.
Is it too late for my teeth?
We won't know until you want us to look, and then we'll tell you honestly. Some things are worth fixing, some are worth watching, and some aren't likely to be helped by treatment. Dr. Oh will say which is which, and why.
Who answers when I call?
During office hours, our team answers. When we're closed (evenings, and Thursday through Sunday), leave a voicemail — it alerts Dr. Oh, who will call you back as soon as he can. Say as little as you like.
What if something hurts right now?
Call the same number first and say what's happening; we'll tell you when to come in. We're open Monday and Wednesday 10 AM–8 PM, Tuesday 10 AM–5 PM, and closed Thursday through Sunday. Dental emergency when we're closed? Call and leave a voicemail — it alerts Dr. Oh, who will call you back as soon as he can. If it can't wait for a call back, go to the nearest emergency room or call 911. Our Emergency Care page explains what to do tonight. An urgent visit runs by the same rules as any other here: you can stop, and each step is explained before it happens.
What will a visit cost?
That depends on what, if anything, you decide to do, so we don't quote numbers here. If you have insurance, we check your coverage before you come in. If you're paying out of pocket, we go over costs with you before anything is done, and monthly payment plans through Cherry or CareCredit are available. Any treatment plan comes with a written estimate first. See Insurance Questions and Financing.

Your first visit

What a first visit looks like

Four steps: call us, sit down and talk, decide together, then go at your pace.

STEP 01

Call us

Call (973) 808-4373. Say as much or as little as you like — “I haven't been in years and I'm nervous” is plenty.

STEP 02

Sit down with Dr. Oh

Your first visit can be a conversation with a general dentist, not an exam, unless you ask for one.

STEP 03

Decide what's next, together

If you want him to look, he'll look and show you what he sees on the screen. If you don't, that's the whole visit, and you're welcome back whenever you're ready.

STEP 04

A plan at your pace

When you're ready, we build a plan one step at a time, each step explained before it happens. You set the pace.

Haven't been in years? Call us first.

Call (973) 808-4373 and say as little as you like. If something hurts right now, the same number works — see Emergency Care. Sora Dentistry, 271 US Highway 46, Bldg G, Ste 109, Fairfield, NJ 07004. Mon & Wed 10–8, Tue 10–5.

Call (973) 808-4373

Eric Oh, DDS MS, is a general dentist. Nothing on this page is a diagnosis or a promise of how you will feel.

Comfort Menu

All comforts are complimentary. Just ask any of us.

  • Noise-Canceling HeadphonesQuiet the sounds around you.
  • Tinted EyewearSoften the bright overhead light.
  • Plush BlanketA soft throw if you feel chilly.
  • Neck PillowExtra support for longer visits.
  • TV & RemoteYou pick the show.
  • Warm Cotton TowelFreshly warmed, individually wrapped, fragrance-free.
  • Still WaterRoom temperature or chilled.
  • Coffee or TeaFreshly brewed, regular or decaf.
  • Free Wi-FiAsk the front desk for the network and password.

Drinks are served in our reception area. If your visit includes numbing, we'll let you know when it's a good time to enjoy one.

Nitrous oxide is a treatment Dr. Oh may recommend. It is not part of the comfort menu: it is billed like any other treatment and may be covered by insurance. Just ask us.

Sora Dentistry · Fairfield, New Jersey