Your First Visit
In order to ensure a thorough and accurate exam for our new adult patients, your 1st visit consists of a comprehensive new patient exam. (Children 16 and under will also have their cleaning done as well). During this appointment, the doctor and his team will perform a number of exams to gather information to customize a treatment plan just for you. These exams are:
- Clinical exam to check all tooth surfaces
- Periodontal (gum) exam to measure gum health and determine what kind of professional cleanings are appropriate
- Oral Cancer exam
- TMJ (jaw) exam
In order to accurately diagnose decay, malformed roots, unerupted teeth, and other conditions, radiographs (x-rays) are also needed to uncover any hidden problem areas. Using all of this information the doctor and you can work together to select the most effective and appropriate treatment for you.
The initial visit also involves getting your medical history. When you share your medical history with the doctor, be sure to provide complete, up-to-date information on your health. Inform your dentist if you have experienced recent hospitalization or surgery, or if you have recently been ill. Also tell the doctor the names, doses, and frequency of any medications you are taking — whether prescription or over-the-counter products — and the name of your physician. Inform the doctor of any changes in your health or medications. It is also important to bring up any fears you may have about dental treatment.
Recare Checkups/Appointments
Don’t brush off recare/checkup appointments with your dental team!! These appointments are very important to detect potential problems early so that you can avoid costly treatment later. We encourage recare and checkups AT LEAST every 6 months. In doing this your dental team can:
- Check for problems that you might not see or feel
- Find early signs of decay
- Treat oral health problems early, while they are still manageable
Regular checkups include a thorough cleaning, polishing, and an oral exam by the dental team. During the oral exam the doctor and hygienist checks the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks, and tongue. At each visit, the doctor also checks old fillings and restorations because constant pressure from chewing, grinding, or clenching can cause them to wear away, chip, or crack.
Recare/checkup appointments last about an hour and are by appointment only. Patients are seen by appointment only. We make every effort to be on time for our patients, and ask that you extend the same courtesy to us. If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify us immediately. Our patients who are seen regularly are eligible for priority appointment and emergency times.
Financial and Payment
We are happy to discuss fees and payment options before treatment begins. As courtesies to our patients we accept assignment from insurance plans and file the appropriate claims and paperwork for you. We work hard to make dental care affordable and to help you to understand insurance benefits and their limitations.
Fees
- We offer a fee discount if full payment is made at the beginning of treatment so no further bookkeeping fee is needed. We also offer a senior citizens discount as well. Discounts for patients with reduced fee plans (PPOs, HMOs, etc) insurance are not eligible. These discounts are a part of the insurance plan and have already been made. Ask our expert financial coordinator for details and for any other application specials and discounts.
- For you convenience we accept payment by VISA, MasterCard and Discover.
- To help fit your budget and help make extensive treatment affordable, we offer extended financial arrangements over several months through outside financing companies (CareCredit). As a courtesy these are limited no interest plans and we pay the financing fees for you. Ask our expert financial coordinator for details.
Insurance
If you have insurance, we will help you to determine the coverage you have available. Professional care is provided to you, our patient, and not to an insurance company. Thus, the insurance company is responsible to the patient and patients are responsible to the doctor. We will help in every way we can in filing your claim and handling insurance questions from our office on your behalf. However patients are ultimately responsible for their own costs and payments.
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