Park Street Dental’s newest dentist has practised across several countries — but Thame, close to home, is where he’s chosen to settle. He explains his approach to nervous patients, and what makes a family dental practice genuinely welcoming.

Ask Dr Toheed Nasir what drew him to Thame, and the answer is refreshingly simple. “England has always been home,” he says. “Thame is close to where I live. It’s a lovely, small town.” One of the newest dentists at Park Street Dental, having joined the team in the last few months, he is a general dentist who has spent his career looking for exactly this kind of place.

“Working here and providing good quality dental care to the locals has brought me joy at this stage of my profession.”

A Career That Has Spanned Several Countries

Dr Nasir trained in Australia and has been fortunate enough to work as a dentist in a number of different countries. It’s given him a broad view of what good dental care looks like — and, just as importantly, what it feels like from the patient’s side of the chair.

That international experience has shaped a clear conviction about what matters most. Wherever he has worked, the practices that stood out weren’t defined by their equipment or their location. They were defined by how they treated people, particularly people who found the dentist difficult.

Putting Anxious Patients at Ease

If there is one thing Dr Nasir feels strongly about, it’s the care of nervous patients — and it’s a growing need.

“Dental anxiety, unfortunately, is growing, and it’s our job as professionals to try and put our patients at ease.”

For him, that starts with slowing everything down. “It’s making sure that the patient doesn’t feel rushed. It’s communicating clearly and slowly. It’s giving them a chance to breathe.”

The small things matter. Regular breaks during treatment mean that anyone who starts to feel claustrophobic can pause, take a sip of water, or simply stand up from the chair for a moment. Nobody is pushed to keep going. “It’s taking care of them,” he says, “being empathetic to their struggle.”

It’s a deliberately unhurried approach, and it runs counter to the rushed experiences that put so many people off the dentist in the first place.

From the Phone to the Chair: What Makes a Family Practice

Having worked in dental practices internationally, Dr Nasir has a considered view of what separates a genuinely good family dental practice from an ordinary one. For him, it comes down to one thing: the experience from start to finish.

“It’s clear communication from the phone all the way to the dental chair and back,” he says. “Making the process as smooth for patients as possible. Making it uncomplicated. But lending a listening ear if they are anxious, and being kind — from the time you take their appointment on the phone, to when they’re in reception checking in, to when they’re in my chair.”

He is candid about how the opposite feels. “If you’re already anxious about going to the dentist, and it’s a hassle getting through on the phone, and it’s a hassle to make payment, and everything feels rushed and there’s people running around left, right and centre — it’s only going to heighten that anxiety.”

It’s here, he says, that Park Street Dental stands out. “From start to finish, the staff are attentive, they’re kind, they make you feel welcome, they make you feel part of the team. And that comes all the way from front of house into the surgeries. That’s what helps Thame stand out in this area for a fantastic family dental practice.”

If It’s Been a While

For anyone in Thame who has been putting off the dentist — out of anxiety, embarrassment, or simply because life got in the way — Dr Nasir’s message is a reassuring one. There is no lecture waiting for you, and no judgment. The whole point of his approach is that your first visit is calm, unhurried and led entirely by what you’re comfortable with.

That might mean a conversation before anything else. It might mean extra time, a slower pace, and the freedom to pause whenever you need to. Whatever it takes, the aim is the same: to get you back on a positive dental journey, gently.

Book an Appointment with Dr Toheed Nasir

Whether it’s your first check-up in years or you’re looking for a dentist in Thame who takes anxiety seriously, Dr Nasir and the team at Park Street Dental would be glad to welcome you. Book an appointment online or call  01844 215404 and take the first, unhurried step.