Fear of dental treatment is common, and it is useful to say so before the chair reclines. The useful detail is specific. Some people fear the injection, some fear the feeling of being unable to swallow, some fear bad news, and some are carrying a visit that went badly years ago. A general statement that you are nervous is enough to begin. It is not a diagnosis of your teeth.
The practical arrangements are simple. You can ask what will happen before it happens. You can agree on a signal that stops the dentist's hands. Topical anesthetic can be placed before an injection when an injection is actually needed. A visit can be divided so that the first appointment is examination and conversation, not a procedure you have not agreed to.
Sedation is a separate medical decision. It can help a person who cannot otherwise receive treatment that is clearly indicated, and it requires a history, a responsible adult when the medicine requires one, and a plan for getting home. It is not a reward for being afraid, and it is not offered so that more treatment can be done than the diagnosis supports.
Fear does not make needed care optional, and it does not make optional care urgent. The work is to separate those two. If the fear has kept you away for years, say that. The first useful visit may produce a written sequence rather than a treated tooth, and that is still a clinical result.
