To the dental professional in general practice, the delivery of dental treatment can be compromised by the willingness of the patient to accept a procedure that is often erroneously associated with painful stimuli. Most patients recoil at the thought of a high or low speed drill and those exposed to surgery find associated bleeding and tissue bruising interferes with normal speech and eating functions. As much as any wish to explore the envelope of possible laser-tissue interaction, much of the hype surrounding laser use in dentistry has centred on the possibility to encourage patient uptake through the avoidance of pre and post-operative pain and discomfort. Certainly, however, today's lasers offer an opportunity to deliver hard and soft tissue treatments that, at least in outline, make the patient experience somewhat easier.