Top 10 Sedation Dentist in San Diego California

Top 10 Sedation Dentist in San Diego California

Compare San Diego-area clinics on reviews, service fit, insurance, and booking convenience.

Reviewed August 2, 2026Ranking recomputed August 1, 202610 clinicsDr Maqsud Mallick, BDSHow we rank

Quick Answer

Which clinic looks strongest at a glance?

We prioritize local relevance, review strength, service breadth, access, price clarity, and patient experience signals.

At A Glance

  • David Eshom, DDS is the strongest overall starting point in San Diego if you want a dependable option for invisalign.
  • Fifth Avenue Dental Arts has the deepest documented patient-feedback history on this page — useful when you want the most established track record before narrowing.
  • Floss in La Jolla is a stronger first look if weekend availability matters more than weekday convenience.

Quick Summary

10 clinics scored on this page

93.2

Tap any clinic below to jump to its card and compare ratings at a glance.

Smyleee Ratings are editorial signals based on reviews, quality of care, and patient feedback. Close scores should be treated as broadly comparable.

Sedation Dentist Costs in San Diego, California (2026)

Approximate price ranges — may vary by provider and insurance plan

ProcedureTypical Cost
Nitrous oxide (laughing gas)$50 – $150
Oral sedation (pill-based)$200 – $500
IV sedation (per hour)$250 – $900
General anesthesia$300 – $1,000
Sedation consultation$50 – $200
Sedation for dental implant procedure$300 – $800
Sedation for wisdom teeth extraction$200 – $600

Price ranges reflect typical San Diego, California pricing as of 2026. Actual costs vary by provider, complexity, and insurance coverage. Contact clinics directly for personalized quotes.

Prices verified Aug 2, 2026

Distance Mode

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Compare clinics either from San Diego Downtown or from your live location.

Distances below are shown from San Diego Downtown. Switch to From you any time.

Top Clinics in San Diego Proper

Only clinics physically located in San Diego appear in this primary ranking.

1

David Eshom, DDS

4.9(516)·18 km from San Diego Downtown
93Smyleee

245, 8899, University Center Lane, University City, San Diego, California

Closed · Opens today at 8 AM

Documented for invisalign in San Diego, with sedation dentistry on the service list and 15 procedures on file.

More about sedation dentistry at this clinic

Gum disease treatment, sedation dentistry, and dental implants round out the clinical scope beyond the cosmetic focus.

Services:Sedation DentistryAffordable Dental CareCosmetic DentistryDental Bonding+11 more
Offers Sedation DentistrySmyleee 93/1004.9★ · 516 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forSedation Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Sedation Dentistry, 4.9★ Google rating across 516 verified reviews, and Smyleee Rating 93/100.
Stands outOffers Sedation Dentistry · Smyleee 93/100 · 4.9★ · 516 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published15 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
2

Fifth Avenue Dental Arts

4.8(932)·279 m from San Diego Downtown
86Smyleee

300, 450, A Street, Core-Columbia, San Diego, California

Closed · Opens today at 9 AM

Orthodontics focus in San Diego, with sedation dentistry listed among 27 documented services.

Read full description

Fifth Avenue Dental Arts is a caring general dentistry practice located in San Diego, California. Doctors Ramin Ghassemi, DDS, MS, and Nina Mojaver, DMD, Fifth Avenue Dental Arts offer patients of all ages and walks of life the very best in modern dental care in a friendly and welcoming environment.

Fifth Avenue Dental Arts functions around the cornerstones of excellence, experience, and esthetics. Its goal is to provide everyone with the individualized, specialized care that only its high standards, years of experience, and eye for esthetics can bring.

The practice provides a wide variety of high-quality dental services for the whole family, including cosmetic dentistry, restorative dentistry, emergency dentistry, orthodontics, periodontics, endodontics, implantology, oral sedation dentistry, and extractions.

If you’re seeking dental care, consider this practice than Fifth Avenue Dental Arts. To learn more about the practice, reach out by phone or send an inquiry via the online booking tool.

Services:Sedation DentistryBracesCAD/CAM Dental RestorationsCosmetic Dentistry+23 more
Offers Sedation DentistrySmyleee 86/1004.8★ · 932 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forSedation Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Sedation Dentistry, 4.8★ Google rating across 932 verified reviews, and Smyleee Rating 86/100.
Stands outOffers Sedation Dentistry · Smyleee 86/100 · 4.8★ · 932 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published27 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
3

Origin Dental

4.9(353)·20 km from San Diego Downtown
89Smyleee

108, 9254, Scranton Road, Sorrento Mesa, San Diego, California

Closed · Opens today at 8 AM

San Diego clinic with a pediatric dentistry specialty — Sedation Dentistry is on file among 12 procedures.

More about sedation dentistry at this clinic

Sedation dentistry is available for patients who prefer pharmacological anxiety management.

Services:Sedation DentistryChildren / Pediatric DentistryCosmetic DentistryDental Cleaning+8 more
Offers Sedation DentistrySmyleee 89/1004.9★ · 353 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forSedation Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Sedation Dentistry, 4.9★ Google rating across 353 verified reviews, and Smyleee Rating 89/100.
Stands outOffers Sedation Dentistry · Smyleee 89/100 · 4.9★ · 353 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published12 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
4

Floss in La Jolla

4.5(286)·18 km from San Diego Downtown
83Smyleee

340, 4520, Executive Drive, University City, San Diego, California

Closed · Opens today at 7:30 AM

Dental Implants is the documented focus in San Diego; Sedation Dentistry sits within 11 services on profile.

Read full description

Floss is at suite 340, 4520 Executive Drive in the University City area of San Diego — in the UTC (University Towne Centre) corridor of La Jolla-adjacent San Diego, on Executive Drive in the Regents Road commercial district near UCSD's Torrey Pines campus. The practice name and location both signal a modern esthetic orientation: University City is home to San Diego's biotech, pharmaceutical, and technology research workforce, a demographic with above-average expectations for cosmetic dental care quality and modern practice environment.

Full mouth rehabilitation is listed alongside cosmetic dentistry and implants — a clinical scope that places this University City practice in the comprehensive restorative category. Full mouth rehabilitation is the planned reconstruction of the entire dentition: occlusal analysis, bite registration, the sequential placement of restorations across all quadrants to achieve a stable, esthetic, and functionally correct bite. This is one of the most technically demanding treatment sequences in general dentistry, involving diagnostic wax-ups, provisional restorations worn for weeks to test the new bite geometry before definitive placement.

Sedation dentistry at a University City cosmetic practice provides the pharmacological anxiety management that allows complex multi-quadrant cases to be completed in longer consolidated appointments rather than across many shorter visits — a scheduling benefit for the UTC and La Jolla professional patient demographic whose work commitments limit flexibility for frequent dental appointments.

Cosmetic dental bonding, dental crowns, and veneers cover the esthetic treatment requests of the University City and Torrey Pines research corridor patient community. Dental implants handle prosthetic tooth replacement. Extractions manage the surgical removal cases. General dentistry covers the preventive and maintenance scope.

For University City, La Jolla, and UTC patients on Executive Drive who want a cosmetic and restorative general dental practice with full mouth rehabilitation and sedation dentistry in the La Jolla-adjacent University City district, Floss's suite 340 address at 4520 Executive Drive provides that combination.

Services:Sedation DentistryCosmetic DentistryDental BondingDental Crowns+7 more
Offers Sedation Dentistry4.5★ · 286 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forSedation Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Sedation Dentistry, 4.5★ Google rating across 286 verified reviews, and Smyleee Rating 83/100.
Stands outOffers Sedation Dentistry · 4.5★ · 286 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published11 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
5

Dentique San Diego, Nikou Rahbar DDS

4.9(186)·2.8 km from San Diego Downtown
89Smyleee

3570, Fourth Avenue, Hillcrest, San Diego, California

Closed · Opens today at 8 AM

Profile in San Diego flags orthodontics; lists Sedation Dentistry alongside 22 other documented services.

More about sedation dentistry at this clinic

Sedation dentistry supports the practice's anxiety management positioning with pharmacological options alongside the environmental and experiential ones.

Services:Sedation DentistryCAD/CAM Dental RestorationsCosmetic DentistryDental Bridges+19 more
Offers Sedation DentistrySmyleee 89/1004.9★ · 186 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forSedation Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Sedation Dentistry, 4.9★ Google rating across 186 verified reviews, and Smyleee Rating 89/100.
Stands outOffers Sedation Dentistry · Smyleee 89/100 · 4.9★ · 186 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published23 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
6

Vaida Avery, DDS

5.0(101)·11 km from San Diego Downtown
76Smyleee

# A, 2036, Hornblend Street, Pacific Beach, San Diego, California

Closed · Opens today at 8 AM

San Diego practice known for invisalign, with Sedation Dentistry among 14 documented procedures.

More about sedation dentistry at this clinic

If you are looking for a gentle dental experience with a team who’ll feel like family, you’ve come to the right place!

Services:Sedation DentistryCosmetic DentistryCrowns & BridgesDental Cleaning+10 more
Offers Sedation Dentistry5.0★ · 101 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forSedation Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Sedation Dentistry and 5.0★ Google rating across 101 verified reviews.
Stands outOffers Sedation Dentistry · 5.0★ · 101 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published14 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
7

Center for Dental Restorations

4.8(107)·3.7 km from San Diego Downtown
85Smyleee

Suite 300, 4033, Third Avenue, Hillcrest, San Diego, California

Closed · Opens today at 8 AM

Documented for dental implants in San Diego, with sedation dentistry on the service list and 18 procedures on file.

More about sedation dentistry at this clinic

Sedation dentistry covers the anxiety management needs of patients who require more than standard local anaesthetic for comfortable restorative treatment.

Services:Sedation DentistryCosmetic DentistryCrowns & BridgesDental Bridges+14 more
Offers Sedation DentistrySmyleee 85/1004.8★ · 107 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forSedation Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Sedation Dentistry, 4.8★ Google rating across 107 verified reviews, and Smyleee Rating 85/100.
Stands outOffers Sedation Dentistry · Smyleee 85/100 · 4.8★ · 107 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published18 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
8

True Design Dentistry of San Diego

4.8(109)·12 km from San Diego Downtown
80Smyleee

106, 4320, Genesee Avenue, Clairemont, San Diego, California

Closed · Opens today at 8 AM

Pediatric Dentistry focus in San Diego, with sedation dentistry listed among 28 documented services.

Read full description

THE SAN DIEGO DENTAL PROVIDER THAT’S FOCUSED ON YOU

What are you looking for in a dentist? True Design Dentistry provides an extensive array of oral care services including:

✔ Cosmetic Dentistry and smile makeovers ✔ Start to finish dental implant placement ✔ Invisible orthodontics (Invisalign) ✔ One-visit ZOOM! Whitening ✔ Restorative care and full mouth rehabilitation ✔ Preventive dentistry

We’re here for you every step of the way. San Diego True Design Dentistry is a family of professionally-trained staff that puts our patients’ needs above all else. In addition to utilizing the highest quality of materials, Dr. Nick Refahi’s years of experience and a private care environment where you can feel comfortable at our San Diego dental office- we also offer amenities that make you feel like you’re right back at home. Our dental services include cosmetic dentistry, preventative care, orthodontics, oral surgery, emergency care, gum disease treatment, dentures, dental implants, and much more. Choose the best family dentist in San Diego — choose True Design Dentistry!

Services:Sedation DentistryAffordable Dental CareBracesChildren / Pediatric Dentistry+24 more
Offers Sedation Dentistry4.8★ · 109 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forSedation Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Sedation Dentistry and 4.8★ Google rating across 109 verified reviews.
Stands outOffers Sedation Dentistry · 4.8★ · 109 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published28 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
9

Scripps Poway Dental Care - Sorrento Valley

4.8(177)·22 km from San Diego Downtown
72Smyleee

Suite 5, 6790, Top Gun Street, Sorrento Mesa, San Diego, California

Closed · Opens today at 8 AM

San Diego clinic with a pediatric dentistry specialty — Sedation Dentistry is on file among 32 procedures.

More about sedation dentistry at this clinic

Oral cancer screening and sedation dentistry complete the preventive and comfort scope.

Services:Sedation DentistryBone GraftingBracesCAD/CAM Dental Restorations+28 more
Offers Sedation Dentistry4.8★ · 177 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forSedation Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Sedation Dentistry and 4.8★ Google rating across 177 verified reviews.
Stands outOffers Sedation Dentistry · 4.8★ · 177 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published32 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
10

Philip Bradford DDS

4.9(33)·3.4 km from San Diego Downtown
73Smyleee

3821, 8th Avenue, Hillcrest, San Diego, California

Closed · Opens today at 9 AM

Pediatric Dentistry is the documented focus in San Diego; Sedation Dentistry sits within 11 services on profile.

More about sedation dentistry at this clinic

Sedation dentistry provides pharmacological anxiety management for the segment of the urban San Diego population that has deferred dental care because of anxiety about the clinical experience.

Services:Sedation DentistryBracesChildren / Pediatric DentistryDental Cleaning+7 more
Offers Sedation Dentistry
Why this ranks
Best forSedation Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Sedation Dentistry.
Stands outOffers Sedation Dentistry
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published11 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Mar 22, 2026

Side-by-Side Comparison

Hard signals for every sedation dentistry provider on this list — no opinions, just verifiable data.

#ClinicSmyleeeGoogleWkndIns.Fin.Offers
Sedation Dentistry
1David Eshom, DDS934.9(516)
2Fifth Avenue Dental Arts864.8(932)
3Origin Dental894.9(353)
4Floss in La Jolla834.5(286)
5Dentique San Diego, Nikou Rahbar DDS894.9(186)
6Vaida Avery, DDS765.0(101)
7Center for Dental Restorations854.8(107)
8True Design Dentistry of San Diego804.8(109)
9Scripps Poway Dental Care - Sorrento Valley724.8(177)
10Philip Bradford DDS734.9(33)

Smyleee Rating bands: 90+ Outstanding · 84–89 Excellent · 71–83 Very Good · 61–70 Good · below 61 Rated.

Other Top Sedation Dentistry Clinics in San Diego - California

1 additional providers ranked below the Top 10 using the same algorithm. Updated monthly.

#ClinicCitySmyleeeGoogleReviewsAction
#11Byung Sun Yoo, DDSSan Diego69.74.7★25View →

How to Choose a Dentist in San Diego - California

Use the ranking as a starting point, then narrow the shortlist based on the kind of care you actually need.

If you want routine or family care

Prioritize review consistency, insurance friendliness, practical hours, and a broad general-dentistry service mix over marketing language alone.

If urgency matters

Confirm same-day capacity, after-hours guidance, and whether the clinic handles urgent restorative work in-house or refers out.

If affordability matters most

Compare financing signals, insurance notes, and the local cost guide. A higher-ranked clinic is not automatically the best value for your specific treatment.

Questions to ask before booking

  • Do you accept my insurance or offer payment plans?
  • Are you taking new patients right now?
  • Do you handle my treatment in-house?
  • What is the total expected cost before treatment starts?
EditorialUpdated August 2, 2026Independently reviewed

Sedation dentistry in San Diego serves a dental anxiety patient community that includes the military veteran whose PTSD from combat deployment creates the dental anxiety that the reclining chair and the bright overhead light activate, and whose VA dental benefit provides access at the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial VA Medical Center in Loma Linda or the San Diego VA Outpatient Dental Clinic for service-connected dental conditions but not for the elective sedation that the private network practice can provide. The South Bay Latino patient community's dental anxiety — elevated by prior experiences in the cost-cutting dental market in Tijuana or by childhood dental experiences without adequate anaesthesia — creates the sedation patient demand in the Chula Vista and National City corridor that the Spanish-language IV sedation-capable practice serves better than the English-only sedation practice whose patient communication barrier compounds the anxiety it is trying to alleviate. California's dental sedation permit requirements through the California Dental Board ensure that the practice claiming IV sedation capability has the permit that the scope requires.

Smyleee evaluated San Diego sedation dental practices on California Dental Board sedation permit level confirming IV conscious sedation capability, patient monitoring protocol quality, Spanish-language pre-sedation consultation and consent for the South Bay Latino and border patient communities, Tagalog/Filipino pre-sedation consultation for the Mira Mesa Filipino-American community, VA patient coordination for the service-connected dental anxiety patient, Tricare Dental Programme billing, and patient outcome consistency for the dental phobia and high-complexity deferred-care presentation. These ten San Diego practices are the sedation dentists the data confirmed as most reliably delivering clinically safe and linguistically accessible sedation dentistry to Greater San Diego's diverse and military-veteran patient community.

Medically reviewed by

Dr Maqsud MallickBDS

Frequently Asked Questions

8 questions answered by our editorial team

The cost of sedation dentistry in San Diego depends on the specific treatment, materials, and your insurance coverage. Use the price guide on this page as a benchmark and confirm exact fees with the clinic before booking.
A sedation for dental implant procedure in San Diego typically ranges $300 – $800 (August 2026). Final pricing depends on the clinic, materials, and whether you have insurance.
A sedation for wisdom teeth extraction in San Diego typically ranges $200 – $600 (August 2026). Final pricing depends on the clinic, materials, and whether you have insurance.
An oral sedation (pill-based) in San Diego typically ranges $200 – $500 (August 2026). Final pricing depends on the clinic, materials, and whether you have insurance.
Smyleee ranks San Diego sedation dentistry clinics on a weighted score: verified patient reviews (30%), clinical credentials and expertise (20%), technology and equipment (15%), accessibility (15%), pricing transparency (10%), and patient experience (10%). The list is recomputed from current data and independently reviewed by Dr Maqsud Mallick, BDS.
The ranking is recalculated on a rolling basis from current review and profile data and was last reviewed in August 2026. Clinics can move up or down as their underlying data changes.
Prioritise verified credentials and relevant training, modern equipment and sterilisation standards, a strong and recent review history, transparent pricing, and clear communication about treatment options. Confirm the clinic is taking new patients and offers sedation dentistry before booking.
Many clinics in San Diego accept major dental insurance and offer financing such as in-house payment plans or third-party options like CareCredit for larger treatments. Coverage and financing vary by practice — confirm your plan is accepted and ask about phased or monthly payment options before treatment begins.

How We Vet Each Clinic

Every clinic on this list passes our verification process

  • License & standing verified — active California dental license confirmed with no disciplinary actions.
  • Patient review volume checked — minimum verified patient reviews across Google with a strong average rating.
  • Local presence confirmed — verified physical practice in the San Diego metro area with established patient base.
  • Technology & equipment assessed — modern dental technology and sterilization standards evaluated.
  • Transparent pricing reviewed — clear communication of costs, financing options, and insurance acceptance.

How We Scored the Best Clinics

Our transparent ranking methodology

Verified patient reviews & outcomes30%
Sedation Dentist expertise & credentials20%
Technology investment & modern equipment15%
Accessibility (hours, location, scheduling ease)15%
Transparent pricing & financing options10%
Patient experience & comfort measures10%

How This Page Was Reviewed

We want this page to help users choose confidently, not just scroll a list.

Editorial checks

  • Locality and city fit
  • Review strength and rating consistency
  • Services, hours, insurance, and profile completeness
  • Paid placements kept separate from organic rankings

Transparency

  • Content updated: August 2, 2026
  • Ranking last recomputed: August 1, 2026
  • Medical reviewer: Dr Maqsud Mallick, BDS
  • Clinic verification dates reflect the latest synced or modified profile timestamp
  • Organic rankings are algorithmic, sponsored rows are labeled
  • Clinics can move up or down when underlying data changes

Keep comparing before you book

Use the ranking, comparison table, and nearby alternatives to narrow the shortlist that best matches your situation.

Are you a San Diego clinic? Improve your profile quality, verification signals, and structured details to strengthen reconsideration for this list.