I can totally sypmathize with you. I had $700 worth of work done late last year, and need another $700 worth this fall also, crowns. I'm fortunate that my dental ins. is pretty good, so I'm only paying half on each of those crowns instead of $1,400 each.

My dentist is a private dentist, but he's also a dental surgeon, and dental cosmotologist (sp?). Basically he can do alot of big fancy stuff. Yeah I'm sure he costs a bit more, but with my ins. I don't have to pay all that much more and I know the work he does is great. For doing all the fancy stuff they NEVER push extra services I don't need, and always discuss costs before I schedule anything. The staff is terrific also. I've been going there for almost 30 years now I think.

I also understand the anxiety part. I would never want IV sedation, the needles scare me way more than whatever they're going to do. In fact I'm so bad about it that I don't let them use novacaine ever. They just give me an MP3 player I crank the volume on, some gas and I'm good to go. I've had 4 crowns and countless fillings done that way. Although if a sub dentist has to do my teeth I have to argue with them for 10 minutes before they'll work on me without novacaine because it makes THEM nervous. I never move but they don't know that. lol

Anyways I have an appt thurs. for a dental cleaning myself, and then have to schedule the crown and any other fillings I might need later this month.

I will keep you in my thoughts.