Happy gas & anxious patients · Berala

Happy gas and care for anxious patients in Berala

Happy gas is nitrous oxide, breathed through a small nose mask, that helps you stay calm through dental treatment while you remain awake. At Berala Dental, 184 Woodburn Road, Berala, happy gas is $120 per appointment and is administered by Dr Mahnaz Khan, and every clinician and dental assistant here works with anxious patients every week.

Since 2002
No judgement
Stop signal, always
Adults and children
English · Arabic · Urdu

Call (02) 9649 6468 Book online WhatsApp

No referral needed · happy gas shown on your written quote · HICAPS on the day

$120happy gas

Dr Mahnaz KhanAdministers happy gas at Berala Dental.

Health funds

Bupa Members First Platinum and nib First Choice provider. All Australian health funds are accepted and claimed on the spot through HICAPS, so you see the exact figure before you pay.

Bupa Members First Platinum provider. Opens the Bupa provider finder.

nib First Choice provider. Opens the Berala Dental nib listing.

Quick facts

Berala Dental is a family dental practice at 184 Woodburn Road, Berala NSW 2141, operating since 2002 and open six days a week including Saturday. Happy gas (nitrous oxide) at Berala Dental is $120 per appointment, administered by Dr Mahnaz Khan, for adults and children who feel anxious about treatment; you stay awake throughout and the effects clear after the gas is stopped. Anxious patients are looked after by every clinician and dental assistant, with children seen by Humzah Aly, Nadim Elhami and Dr Mahnaz Khan, and a stop signal agreed before treatment starts. A consultation is $120 and includes any X-rays needed on the day. Berala Dental offers happy gas only; patients who need IV sedation or a general anaesthetic are referred. Berala Dental is a Bupa Members First Platinum and nib First Choice provider and accepts all Australian health funds through HICAPS.

Page information current as of September 2026 · Berala Dental, 184 Woodburn Road, Berala NSW 2141 · (02) 9649 6468

$120happy gas, per appointment

$120consultation, X-rays included

Awakethroughout, able to talk

since2002at 184 Woodburn Road

In plain English

What is happy gas, and how does it help?

Happy gas is nitrous oxide mixed with oxygen. You breathe it through a soft mask that sits over your nose, leaving your mouth clear, and within a short time most people feel calmer, warmer and a little floaty.

You stay awake the whole time. You can talk, answer questions and raise your hand to pause. Happy gas does not replace local anaesthetic; it takes the edge off the anxiety so the rest of the appointment is easier to get through.

When treatment finishes, the gas is stopped and you breathe oxygen for a few minutes while the effects clear.

The waiting room at Berala Dental, with blue chairs and natural light. — The waiting room at Berala Dental.

If this sounds familiar

What worries people most about the dentist?

Dental anxiety is common, and it usually has a reason. These are the ones heard most often at Berala Dental, and how each is handled.

Needles

Numbing gel goes on first and the injection is given slowly. Happy gas beforehand helps many people.

The sound of the drill

Bring headphones. Music or a podcast through treatment is welcome.

A bad experience before

Say so at the start. The pace is set around you, and every step is explained first.

Feeling out of control

A stop signal is agreed before anything starts. Raise your hand and everything pauses.

Embarrassment

Nobody lectures you about how long it has been or the state of your teeth.

A strong gag reflex

Happy gas often settles it, and breaks are built into the appointment.

What it costs

How much does happy gas cost at Berala Dental?

Happy gas is added to the fee for the treatment you are having. Every figure assumes your health fund contributes nothing.

Happy gas

$120

Per appointment, administered by Dr Mahnaz Khan, for adults and children.

Consultation

$120

An examination and any X-rays needed on the day, with a written plan. A gentle first step.

Check-up, X-rays and clean

$250

X-rays, photos, the clean and fluoride, all included in the one fee.

Not offered at Berala Dental, stated plainly:

IV sedation and general anaesthetic. Patients who need them are referred, and you are told why.

Step by step

What happens when you have happy gas?

Talk firstWhat worries you, what has happened before, and the stop signal you will use.
The maskA soft mask over your nose. You start on oxygen and breathe normally.
Easing inDr Mahnaz Khan introduces the nitrous oxide slowly, adjusting it until you feel comfortable.
Treatment, relaxedYour breathing is watched throughout, and you can talk or pause at any point.
Oxygen to finishThe gas is stopped and you breathe oxygen until the effects have cleared, before you leave.

What it feels like

What does happy gas actually feel like?

People describe it differently, but the common feelings are a pleasant, floaty calm, a warm tingling in the fingers and toes, and the sense that time passes more quickly. Some people find themselves smiling; it is called laughing gas for a reason.

Side effects are uncommon and usually mild, such as a light headache or feeling a little queasy, and they settle once the gas is stopped. Tell the practice beforehand if you are pregnant, have a blocked nose or a breathing condition, or take medication for a psychiatric condition, because happy gas may not suit you.

The children’s corner in the Berala Dental waiting room, with a blue sofa and toys. — The children’s corner in the waiting room.

For children

Is happy gas suitable for children?

Yes, and it is used with children at Berala Dental when it genuinely helps: very anxious children, longer treatment, or children with additional needs. Most children, though, manage without it.

Children are talked through everything first in words that make sense to them, the pace is theirs, and small wins are celebrated. The aim is a child who leaves feeling brave. More about happy gas for children →

The people in the room

Who looks after anxious patients at Berala Dental?

Everyone. Anxious adults are looked after by every clinician at Berala Dental, anxious children by Humzah Aly, Nadim Elhami and Dr Mahnaz Khan, and happy gas is administered by Dr Mahnaz Khan.

The dental assistants matter as much as anyone in the room. They are the person beside you through the appointment: watching for the stop signal, explaining what the next sound or sensation will be, keeping things calm and making sure nothing is rushed. What a dental assistant does →

Dr Mahnaz Khan

Dr Belal Aly

Humzah Aly

Nadim Elhami

Being honest

What if happy gas is not enough?

For most anxious patients, happy gas together with a slow pace and clear explanations is enough. Some situations call for deeper sedation: a severe phobia, a long surgical procedure, or particular medical needs.

Berala Dental offers happy gas only. It does not provide IV sedation or general anaesthetic, and if you need either, that is said plainly at your consultation and you are referred. Read about a gentle first visit for nervous adults →

Berala Dental is a general dental practice with no specialist on site. Happy gas is provided within general practice, and patients who need IV sedation or a general anaesthetic are referred.

Things people ask

What do people ask about happy gas?

How much does happy gas cost at Berala Dental?

Happy gas is $120 per appointment at Berala Dental, added to the fee for the treatment itself. It is administered by Dr Mahnaz Khan. Every figure assumes your health fund contributes nothing, and it appears on your written quote before treatment starts.

What is happy gas?

Happy gas is nitrous oxide mixed with oxygen, breathed through a small mask over the nose. It helps you feel calmer and more relaxed during dental treatment while you stay awake and able to talk. Its effects wear off after the gas is stopped and you breathe oxygen for a few minutes.

Will I be asleep with happy gas?

No. Happy gas is conscious sedation, not sleep dentistry. You stay awake and can respond to the clinician throughout; it takes the edge off anxiety rather than putting you under.

Can I drive after having happy gas?

In most cases, yes. Once the gas is stopped you breathe oxygen for a few minutes and the effects clear, which is one of the main differences between happy gas and deeper sedation. Dr Mahnaz Khan checks you have recovered before you leave Berala Dental.

What if I need stronger sedation than happy gas?

Berala Dental offers happy gas only and does not provide IV sedation or general anaesthetic. If your anxiety, your treatment or your medical history calls for deeper sedation, that is discussed honestly at your consultation and you are referred.

Who can have happy gas?

Most adults and children can. Tell Berala Dental beforehand if you are pregnant, have a blocked nose or a breathing condition, or take medication for a psychiatric condition, because happy gas may not suit you and another approach will be planned.

I have not been to a dentist in years. Will I be judged?

No. Berala Dental sees people every week who have stayed away for years. Nobody lectures you about the state of your teeth; the first visit is about finding out where things stand and making a plan you are comfortable with, at your pace.

Getting here

Where do anxious patients travel from to Berala Dental?

Berala Dental is at 184 Woodburn Road, Berala NSW 2141, a 5-minute walk from Berala Station on the T3 line, with street parking available and opening hours six days a week including Saturday. Patients come from nearby suburbs including Auburn, Lidcombe, Regents Park and Granville.

Dental anxiety: what to tell your dentist ARTICLE →An anxious child’s first visit ARTICLE →Check-up and clean SERVICE →Extractions and wisdom teeth SERVICE →Start with a consultation SERVICE →Every fee, in one place FEES →

When you are ready

Start with a $120 consultation.

A conversation, an examination and the X-rays needed on the day, at your pace. Mention that you are nervous when you book, and happy gas can be arranged for the treatment that follows.

Call (02) 9649 6468 Book online WhatsApp

No referral needed · stop signal agreed before anything starts · HICAPS on the day

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Paediatric dentistry.

Happy gas and care for anxious patients in Berala

What is happy gas, and how does it help?

What worries people most about the dentist?

How much does happy gas cost at Berala Dental?

What happens when you have happy gas?

What does happy gas actually feel like?

Is happy gas suitable for children?

Who looks after anxious patients at Berala Dental?

What if happy gas is not enough?

What do people ask about happy gas?

Where do anxious patients travel from to Berala Dental?

Start with a $120 consultation.