When prescribing pre-appointment oral sedation for an anxious dental patient, which benzodiazepine is most commonly used?

Diazepam (Valium) is a long-acting benzodiazepine commonly prescribed as an oral pre-medication for dental anxiety, typically given 5-10 mg orally 1 hour before the appointment. Its anxiolytic, sedative, and amnestic effects are well-suited for this purpose. It can also be used intravenously for conscious sedation. Triazolam (Halcion) is actually the most commonly used oral benzodiazepine for dental sedation in North America, but among the options given, diazepam is correct. Midazolam (Versed) is typically used intravenously or intranasally, not orally for pre-appointment sedation. Propofol and ketamine are intravenous/intramuscular agents used in deeper sedation, not oral pre-medications.