Sleep apnea changes the sedation conversation, but it rarely ends it. Consider contacting us today if sleep apnea is affecting your life.
Sleep apnea genuinely changes how sedation should be planned. What it usually does not do is make treatment impossible.
The Dental Anesthesia Center is a doctor-owned practice in Clayton that provides dental care under sedation and general anesthesia, including for patients whose airways require more attention than a standard office is equipped to provide.
Always a great experience. Carrie does a wonderful job keeping my smile healthy and bright. Dr. Thoms is always very nice and professional. They make going to the dentist much less stressful!
Response from the owner:Thank you for the great feedback! We're so glad Carrie and Dr. Thoms have made your visits comfortable and enjoyable.
I’ve had wonderful experiences at this dental office. The team is professional, the care is top-notch, and appointments run smoothly. I’ve never had to wait long in the waiting room. I highly recommend them!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words and recommendation! We’re so glad to hear you’ve had such positive experiences with our team. We truly appreciate your support!
I love coming to the Dental CENTER , all the ladies are so nice and they keep you up to date. Dr. Belah is great and Carrie are so good. They do a great job.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear you’ve had such a positive experience with our team. We’ll be sure to share your appreciation with Dr. Behl, Carrie, and the rest of the team!
Dr. Hoffman is a friendly individual and readily answers can't questions you may have. His office staff are all friendly. One in particular,Meaghan, has learned to put up with the grumpy old guy from Illinois. I would recommend you give these people a try for your special needs relative.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind words and recommendation! We’re so glad to hear you’ve felt welcomed and well cared for by Dr. Hoffman and our team. And we’ll be sure to let Meaghan know she’s doing a great job putting up with our “grumpy old guy from Illinois!”
The Best Dental Office In St Louis! Thanks for keeping my pearly whites shining! … back again and they always do a great job and make me feel comfortable! They have an exceptional staff who are friendly and also very good at their jobs!!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that you always feel comfortable and well cared for. Our team truly appreciates your kind words!
The practice is top notch. Could not ask for better care. Wish dental care was more affordable.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re grateful for your feedback and are proud to provide high-quality care in a supportive environment.
The best staff for dealing with my level 3 non verbal autistic son. Very understanding and supportive.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad our team could provide a supportive and understanding experience. Your feedback means so much to us!
Dr Thoms is the best. He and his team are very attentive and extremely dedicated to the dental care for our special needs son
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your kind words! We truly appreciate your recognition of Dr. Thoms and our team. Providing compassionate, attentive care is at the heart of what we do!
We brought our 1.5 and 3.5 year old daughters here for cleaning / check ups. Our dental hygienist Laina was amazing...made them feel so comfortable. They had a great time and keep asking when they can go to the dentist again. Dr. Hoffman was great too and made everything super quick and not stressful. Great place for kids in addition to adults!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad to hear your little ones had such a positive experience. We’ll be sure to share your compliments with Laina and Dr. Hoffman! 💙
Every person in the office is so personable. That first off makes you comfortable. But then the methods used to clean my teeth, particularly. I don't feel a thing, and it's the first time in my life that I haven't. And I have a lot of anxiety about dental work, and I really do not feel a thing when my teeth are being cleaned
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad our team could help make your experience comfortable and relaxing. It means so much to know you felt at ease with your care!
I came here with my 18 year old daughter who has an immense fear of Doctors and Dentist , The kindness and understanding without any judgement we received from Dr.Thom was just unbelievable. The work he did on my daughter was life changing for her . I would recommend him to anyone . Just amazing, kind talented Doctor.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your heartfelt words! It means a great deal to our team to know that you felt welcomed, understood, and cared for. We’re especially grateful you shared how meaningful your experience was.
We met Dr. Shawn in Sept 2023 and in December, he removed our adult nonverbal son's wisdom teeth. Not gonna hold you, general anesthesia is billed incrementally (by the minute/quarter-hour) and is a heavy financial investment. I love this clinic because it really is a safe space for special needs families. There's a huge calm that accompanies knowing your dependent person is getting healthy. Dr. Shawn is exceptional. We drove 6 hours to get here so we'll choose a local practice for routine sedation cleanings down the road. I hope to see more neurodivergent acceptance built locally in our state's dentistry like this team has here. Meanwhile we are so grateful for this practice and grateful our son was in Dr. Shawn's care.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for sharing your heartfelt words. We’re honored to be a place where families feel safe, supported, and understood. Your trust in Dr. Thoms and our team truly means so much to us.
Dr. Thoms and Robin are excellent in their care, concern, and support. Dr. Thoms explains everything and takes his time. If I have questions or concerns, he is easy to talk to and listens well.Robin is right there by my side throughout procedures. Her technical skills and professionalism are impressive. She is terrific!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad Dr. Thoms and Robin made you feel heard, supported, and cared for. We’ll be sure to share your wonderful compliments with them—they’ll mean so much!
Individualized care, expertise in general anesthesia, and attention to detail are why we keep returning for our son.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words and continued trust in our team! We’re grateful to be part of your family’s care and truly appreciate your confidence in us.
The dental anesthesia center is hands down the best dental office I have ever been to. I neglected my teeth for years due to severe dental anxiety. I had work done under anesthesia with doctor hoffman who did an amazing job. Doctor Behl is not only a fantastic dentist but one of the nicest people I have ever met. The dental hygienists are both thorough and gentle. Stop your search and just go here
Response from the owner:Thank you for your incredibly kind words! We’re so glad our team could help make your experience comfortable and positive. We truly appreciate your trust and recommendation!
I had a great experience at the Dental Anesthesia Center. The reception area Personnel the Doctor-Dentist and one of his assistants all helped to make sure I was comfortable, informed and ready to get it done! Thank you Dental Anesthesia Center team!! CB
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad our team could help make your experience comfortable and reassuring. We truly appreciate your 5-star review!
Their staff was truly caring and respectful in everything they did. The dentist explained what they found in the initial tests, asked us questions about our 82 year old sister, then explained the options that would give the best results.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your thoughtful feedback. We’re grateful for the opportunity to provide compassionate care and appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.
My hygienist, DeLaina Joost, takes excellent care of my teeth with her advanced skills, gentle touch and great “chair side” manner. She is a consummate professional, and such a compassionate person. I look forward to my visits at DAC!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad to hear you had a positive experience with our team and appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.
Devon’s has received his dental services here for several years. The staff are always pleasant. Dr. Hoffman unmatched. His bedside manner is always welcoming. Devon receives amazing care and support based on his assessed needs. Feedback and instruction is clear and detailed. Follow-up is greatly appreciated. I appreciate their acceptance of differences and assurance that Devon will be taken care of.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words and continued trust in our team! We’re grateful to be part of Devon’s care and truly appreciate your thoughtful feedback.
Why Apnea and Sedation Interact
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the soft tissues of the throat relax during sleep, narrowing or closing the airway. Breathing pauses, oxygen dips, and the body briefly rouses itself to reopen the airway, often dozens of times a night without the person remembering any of it.
Sedative medications relax those same tissues. They also reduce the drive to breathe and blunt the body’s normal response to low oxygen and rising carbon dioxide. For a patient who already struggles to keep their airway open when relaxed, that combination warrants careful planning.
Two practical consequences follow. Patients with apnea may be more sensitive to sedatives and opioid pain medications than their size or age would suggest, and airway obstruction, if it occurs, can develop more readily and needs to be recognized and corrected quickly. Both are manageable. Neither is something to discover halfway through a procedure.
Many People Have Apnea and Do Not Know It
A significant share of obstructive sleep apnea is undiagnosed, which means the anesthesia conversation often has to start before a sleep study exists.
Signs that sometimes point toward it include loud, habitual snoring; witnessed pauses in breathing; waking with a dry mouth or headache; daytime sleepiness that rest does not fix; high blood pressure; and waking suddenly with a gasp. None of these confirms anything on its own, and the screening questions your doctor asks before sedation exist partly to catch the possibility in people who have never been evaluated.
If the answers raise a flag, you may be asked to see a physician or complete a sleep study before treatment is scheduled. That is not a stall. It changes what the anesthesia plan should look like.
What Careful Planning Actually Involves
For a patient with known or suspected apnea, the evaluation usually assesses the severity of the apnea and its treatment, other conditions that often accompany it, such as heart disease and diabetes, current medications, and the anatomy of the airway itself.
From there, the plan can be adjusted in several ways. Medication choices and dosing may be modified. Positioning during treatment can be managed to favor an open airway. Monitoring continues throughout, including oxygen levels, heart rhythm, blood pressure, and breathing. For deeper levels of care, the airway may be secured directly rather than left to relax on its own, which is one reason general anesthesia is sometimes the more controlled option rather than the riskier one. Recovery is observed rather than rushed, because sedative effects can outlast the procedure.
Bring what you have to the consultation: your sleep study results, if you have had one; your CPAP or oral appliance details, including settings if you know them; an honest account of how often you actually use it; and your full medication list. Nobody is grading you on CPAP compliance. The information simply changes the plan.
When a Hospital Is the Better Setting
Sometimes the right answer is not this office. Severe apnea combined with significant heart or lung disease, or a history of difficult airway management, may point toward a hospital or surgical center. If your consultation leads there, we will say so directly. A practice that will tell you “no” when “no” is correct is the kind you want when managing your airway.
Consider Contacting Us Today
If sleep apnea has been the sentence that ends every dental conversation you start, it does not have to be. Airway management is the center of what this practice does, not an exception to it.
Call The Dental Anesthesia Center at (314) 862-7844, Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., or Friday, 7 a.m. to 3pm, or request a consultation through our contact form. We are at 950 Francis Place, Suite 305, in Clayton, serving patients throughout the St. Louis area.
