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 9, 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 9, 2026

Distance Mode

Choose how clinic distance is measured

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

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

Pediatric Dentistry focus in San Diego, with sedation dentistry listed among 15 documented services.

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+11 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 published15 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
3

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

San Diego clinic with a orthodontics specialty — Sedation Dentistry is on file among 27 procedures.

Read full description

Fifth Avenue Dental Arts operates on A Street in the Core-Columbia area of San Diego, California. Implants are considered by many dentists the most durable way to replace a missing tooth, since the titanium post fuses with the jaw bone over several months and then supports a crown that functions much like a natural tooth. Enough healthy bone is the main prerequisite, and a graft can build that up first if needed.

Clear aligners straighten teeth through a series of custom, removable trays, each worn for one to two weeks before moving to the next in the sequence. They suit mild to moderate crowding and spacing well, and are worn roughly twenty to twenty-two hours a day for treatment to stay on schedule.

Traditional braces use brackets and wires to gradually move teeth into alignment, handling complex bite corrections and significant crowding more predictably than removable alternatives. Treatment commonly runs one to three years, with a retainer worn afterward to hold the result.

A veneer is a thin custom shell bonded to the front of a tooth to change its shape, length, or colour, most often used to address chips, gaps, or discoloration that whitening alone cannot fix. Traditional veneers require a small amount of enamel to be removed, which makes the change permanent.

Cosmetic treatment is generally the least invasive branch of dentistry, built around changing how teeth look rather than fixing something broken. Whitening and bonding sit at the lighter end; veneers and reshaping involve more planning. Most cosmetic dental insurance excludes this kind of work, since it is elective rather than medically necessary.

Root canal treatment removes infected or inflamed tissue from inside a tooth, cleans and seals the space, and allows the natural tooth to be kept rather than extracted. Its reputation for being painful is largely outdated — carried out under local anaesthetic, it typically relieves pain rather than causing it. Use this page to find contact information for Fifth Avenue Dental Arts and to see its full range of services before getting in touch.

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
4

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 9 AM

Orthodontics is the documented focus in San Diego; Sedation Dentistry sits within 23 services on profile.

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
5

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

Profile in San Diego flags dental implants; lists Sedation Dentistry alongside 10 other documented services.

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
6

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 practice known for pediatric dentistry, with Sedation Dentistry among 32 documented 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
7

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

Documented for invisalign in San Diego, with sedation dentistry on the service list and 14 procedures on file.

Read full description

Based on Hornblend Street in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego, California, Vaida Avery, DDS is a dental practice serving the area. A dental implant replaces a missing tooth at the root, not just the crown — a small titanium post is placed in the jaw bone and, once it has integrated over a period of months, a replacement tooth is attached to it. It is generally the most durable option for a single missing tooth or several.

Clear aligners straighten teeth through a series of custom, removable trays, each worn for one to two weeks before moving to the next in the sequence. They suit mild to moderate crowding and spacing well, and are worn roughly twenty to twenty-two hours a day for treatment to stay on schedule.

A veneer is a thin custom shell bonded to the front of a tooth to change its shape, length, or colour, most often used to address chips, gaps, or discoloration that whitening alone cannot fix. Traditional veneers require a small amount of enamel to be removed, which makes the change permanent.

Cosmetic treatment is generally the least invasive branch of dentistry, built around changing how teeth look rather than fixing something broken. Whitening and bonding sit at the lighter end; veneers and reshaping involve more planning. Most cosmetic dental insurance excludes this kind of work, since it is elective rather than medically necessary.

Emergency dental care covers sudden problems that will not wait for a routine appointment — severe pain, a knocked-out or fractured tooth, swelling, or a lost filling that leaves a tooth exposed. Same-day or urgent appointments are the point of an emergency service, rather than the standard multi-week booking window.

A crown covers an entire damaged tooth — used when too much structure is missing for a filling to hold reliably, whether from a large fracture, extensive decay, or after root canal treatment. It restores both the shape and the biting strength of the tooth underneath. You can reach Vaida Avery, DDS through this page to ask a question, check current availability, or request an appointment.

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
8

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

Dental Implants focus in San Diego, with sedation dentistry listed among 20 documented services.

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+16 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 published20 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
9

Philip Bradford DDS

4.9(33)·3.4 km from San Diego Downtown
83Smyleee

3821, 8th Avenue, Hillcrest, 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 uses inhaled, oral, or intravenous options to help patients relax through treatment, ranging from nitrous oxide for mild anxiety through to deeper sedation for longer or more involved procedures.

Services:Sedation DentistryBracesChildren / Pediatric DentistryDental Cleaning+8 more
Offers Sedation Dentistry
Why this ranks
Best forSedation Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Sedation Dentistry and Smyleee Rating 83/100.
Stands outOffers Sedation Dentistry
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published12 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Aug 19, 2026
10

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 is the documented focus in San Diego; Sedation Dentistry sits within 28 services on profile.

Read full description

True Design Dentistry of San Diego provides dental care on Genesee Avenue in the Clairemont area of San Diego, California. Implants are considered by many dentists the most durable way to replace a missing tooth, since the titanium post fuses with the jaw bone over several months and then supports a crown that functions much like a natural tooth. Enough healthy bone is the main prerequisite, and a graft can build that up first if needed.

Clear aligners straighten teeth through a series of custom, removable trays, each worn for one to two weeks before moving to the next in the sequence. They suit mild to moderate crowding and spacing well, and are worn roughly twenty to twenty-two hours a day for treatment to stay on schedule.

Traditional braces use brackets and wires to gradually move teeth into alignment, handling complex bite corrections and significant crowding more predictably than removable alternatives. Treatment commonly runs one to three years, with a retainer worn afterward to hold the result.

A veneer is a thin custom shell bonded to the front of a tooth to change its shape, length, or colour, most often used to address chips, gaps, or discoloration that whitening alone cannot fix. Traditional veneers require a small amount of enamel to be removed, which makes the change permanent.

Cosmetic treatment is generally the least invasive branch of dentistry, built around changing how teeth look rather than fixing something broken. Whitening and bonding sit at the lighter end; veneers and reshaping involve more planning. Most cosmetic dental insurance excludes this kind of work, since it is elective rather than medically necessary.

Root canal treatment removes infected or inflamed tissue from inside a tooth, cleans and seals the space, and allows the natural tooth to be kept rather than extracted. Its reputation for being painful is largely outdated — carried out under local anaesthetic, it typically relieves pain rather than causing it. Contact details for True Design Dentistry of San Diego are on this page, along with the full list of services offered — reach out to ask about scheduling.

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

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)
2Origin Dental894.9(353)
3Fifth Avenue Dental Arts864.8(932)
4Dentique San Diego, Nikou Rahbar DDS894.9(186)
5Floss in La Jolla834.5(286)
6Scripps Poway Dental Care - Sorrento Valley724.8(177)
7Vaida Avery, DDS765.0(101)
8Center for Dental Restorations854.8(107)
9Philip Bradford DDS834.9(33)
10True Design Dentistry of San Diego804.8(109)

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 Diego79.34.7★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 9, 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 9, 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.