If it’s been years since your last visit — because of a bad experience, fear of pain, or embarrassment about how things look in there — you’re exactly who this page is for. No lectures, no judgment, no rushing. Just a calm, honest restart.
Exam · X-rays · Cleaning
Your first visit back, step by step
Knowing exactly what will happen is half the cure for dental anxiety. Here it is.
A conversation, fully dressed
Your first appointment can simply be a conversation in the consult room — not the chair. Tell Dr. Martinez what happened before, what you're afraid of, and what you want. You stay in control of what happens next.
A gentle look, nothing more
When you're ready: a visual exam and digital X-rays. No instruments scraping, no surprise procedures, no "while we're in here." You'll get an honest picture of where things stand — most people fear it's worse than it is.
A plan in plain English
Every finding explained on the screen where you can see it, with costs in writing and options ranked honestly — including "watch and wait" where that's legitimate. Nothing starts until you say so.
Care at your speed
Treatment spaced the way you can handle it — shorter visits more often, or longer visits to finish faster. The hand-signal rule applies always. Most anxious patients tell us the anticipation was the worst part.
Why anxious patients stay with us
“Gentle” is the first word in our patient reviews for a reason — it's the whole practice philosophy, not a marketing line.
Considering sedation dentistry?
Many anxious patients search for sedation first. Here's our honest take: we're not a sedation practice — and most of our anxious patients find they never needed it. What they needed was control, numbing that works, and a team that doesn't rush. If your situation truly calls for sedation, we'll say so and refer you to a trusted provider.
No judgment, ever
Years of avoidance, broken teeth, gum disease — we have seen all of it and we don't lecture. You won't be shamed about how long it's been. The goal is forward, not backward.
Bilingual, human care
Anxiety is harder in your second language. Dr. Martinez and the team are fully bilingual — explanations, consent, and reassurance in English or español, whichever feels safer.
Most PPO insurance accepted. Nervous? Call and just talk to us first: (561) 295-3430 for an urgent evaluation.
Dr. Magela Martinez
Dr. Martinez founded Sunset Smiles around a single idea: dental care should feel calm, modern, and personal — not transactional.
Her extraction philosophy is conservative — preserve teeth wherever possible, and when extraction is needed, do it gently and plan replacement immediately. Bilingual in English and Spanish.
What patients are saying
5.0 stars from 54 verified Google reviews. Here's a glimpse why.
"Dr. Martinez is an excellent dentist. She was attentive, compassionate, and very thorough during my appointment. After seeing other dentists previously, Dr. Martinez was the first to identify an underlying issue that had been overlooked."
"My experience at Sunset Smiles Cosmetic Dentistry has been excellent. Dr. Martinez is incredibly kind, thorough, and professional. The office is beautiful, clean, and welcoming, and the staff is helpful and very attentive."
"I had a wonderful experience at Sunset Smiles — the professionalism, attention to detail, and warmness and helpfulness of the staff is top notch! I will definitely be going here for all my dental needs."
"It's great to have a new dental practice like Sunset Smiles in the area! The team is welcoming, professional, and genuinely cares about their patients. The office is modern, clean, and inviting, and Dr. Martinez explained everything thoroughly."
Dental anxiety is common — and beatable
Somewhere between a quarter and a third of adults avoid the dentist because of fear, and a meaningful fraction avoid it entirely for years at a time. If that's you, the first thing worth hearing is that you are not fragile, dramatic, or unusual — you are in one of the largest invisible groups in healthcare. The second thing worth hearing: dental fear is almost always learned, usually from one or two specific bad experiences, often decades ago, frequently in childhood. Something hurt when it wasn't supposed to. Someone dismissed you, rushed you, or lectured you. The fear made sense then. The good news is that what was learned can be unlearned — with the right pacing and a team that takes it seriously.
What avoidance actually costs
Dental problems are unusual in medicine: they almost never resolve on their own, but they progress slowly and quietly. A small cavity that would have been a simple filling becomes, over three or four years, a root canal and crown — and a decade later, an extraction and implant. Avoidance doesn't freeze the situation; it compounds it, in both discomfort and cost. Most long-avoiders we meet expect to be told their mouth is a disaster. The reality is almost always better than they feared — and even when it isn't, a clear plan beats years of low-grade dread.
How modern dentistry is genuinely different
If your reference point is dentistry from twenty or thirty years ago, the experience has changed more than you may realize. Numbing technique has improved dramatically — topical anesthetic first, slower delivery, and verification before anything begins. Digital X-rays replaced the uncomfortable film frames. High-speed instruments are quieter. And the culture has shifted: at least in this office, the patient sets the pace, consent is granular, and "stop" means stop — instantly, every time, no justification required.
The restart, in practice
Most anxious patients do best with a graduated return: a conversation-only visit first, then an exam and cleaning, then — only when you're ready — any treatment, scheduled at the pace you can tolerate. Each completed visit that doesn't hurt rewrites a little of the old learning. We've watched patients go from white-knuckle phone calls to routine six-month cleanings within a year, not because they got braver, but because the experiences stopped confirming the fear. If you'd like company on that path, our family practice sees anxious adults every week — and the first step can be as small as a phone call where you just ask questions: (561) 295-3430.
Dental anxiety questions
I haven't been to a dentist in 10+ years. Will you judge me?
No — and you'd be surprised how common your situation is. Long gaps usually mean one bad experience, fear, or life simply happening. We start with where you are today, not how you got here. Many of our most loyal patients began with exactly this question.
Do you offer sedation dentistry?
We're honest about this: no, we're not a sedation practice. Our approach is built on control, communication, and numbing technique — and for most anxious patients, that turns out to be what they actually needed. If your case genuinely calls for IV sedation (severe phobia, complex oral surgery), we'll tell you straight and refer you to a trusted local provider.
What if I panic in the chair?
Then we stop — instantly. That's the hand-signal rule, and it's never negotiable. You can take a break, sit up, walk around, or end the visit entirely. Anxiety loses most of its power when you know you can stop everything at any second.
Can my first appointment just be a conversation?
Yes, and we encourage it. Book a consultation and we'll talk in the consult room — no chair, no instruments, no X-rays unless you want them. You'll meet Dr. Martinez, see the office, and decide if it feels right. There's no obligation to book anything after.
Does getting numb hurt?
Much less than you remember. We use a strong topical gel first, inject slowly (speed is what causes the sting), and always test the area before starting. If you've ever felt pain during a filling, that memory is usually about rushed numbing — and it's avoidable.
¿Atienden a pacientes nerviosos en español?
Sí, completamente. La ansiedad dental es más difícil cuando las explicaciones llegan en su segundo idioma. La Dra. Martinez y todo el equipo son bilingües — puede hacer todas sus preguntas y recibir cada explicación en español.
Visit our office
A modern, calm office just off Intracoastal Pointe Drive in Jupiter — easy to find, easy to park.
Hours
Mon – Thu: 9 AM – 6 PM
Friday: 9 AM – 3 PM
Sat – Sun: Closed
Contact
Phone: (561) 295-3430
Email: info@sunsetsmilesjupiter.com
Get care now, pay over time
We've partnered with Cherry to make great dental care fit any budget. Most patients qualify, monthly payments are predictable, and applying takes about a minute — with no impact to your credit score just to check.
- 0% APR options available for qualified borrowers
- Terms from 3 to 60 months — pick what fits your budget
- Amounts from $200 to $50,000 — single crown to full smile makeover
- Pre-qualify in 60 seconds — soft check, no impact on credit
- Instant decision — apply at the office or before your visit
- No prepayment penalties — pay off early, save on interest
Financing through Cherry Technologies, Inc. APR 0% – 35.99%, terms 1–60 months. Eligibility based on financial profile; not guaranteed.
More about Sunset Smiles
A boutique cosmetic dental practice in Jupiter, FL — Dr. Magela Martinez and a team that treats you like a neighbor.
Ready when you are.
Start with just a conversation · no judgment · bilingual care
Call (561) 295-3430