Does it hurt to get a novocain (procaine) shot at the dentist?

It's much better : Than surgical pain. You'll feel a pinch and some mild burning. Then the injected area will become numb. After that you may feel some pressure, but you shouldn't have any pain in the surgical area.

Not really: Pain is actually very subjective, while someone may feel it hurts terribly, someone else may not feel it at all. A big part of it is how 'heavy-handed' or gentle your dentist is, and you can talk to some of his/her patients to get an idea. Ask your dentist to put a bit of topical anesthetic before you get the shot, and it will help you in feeling less of the pinch of the needle.