The study was designed to assess the suitability of propofol for conscious sedation. Thirty-one patients undergoing bilateral third molar surgery were randomly given either propofol or midazolam for sedation as an adjunct to local anaesthesia at the first visit, and the alternative at the second visit. Propofol, like midazolam, produced reliable sedation, good operating conditions, stable vital signs and profound amnesia, with minimum intra-operative and post-operative adverse effects. Furthermore, most patients were willing to undergo either sedation procedure again. The advantages of propofol over midazolam were the ease with which the degree of sedation could be altered and the quick recovery. Its disadvantages were pain during injection, increased talkativeness, the extra equipment needed, and cost.