Your first visit, step by step.
About an hour. Nothing happens in the chair until you have met your dentist and asked everything you want to ask.
Before you arrive
We send your forms by email so you can fill them in at home. Bring your insurance card and a list of medications. Ten minutes early is plenty.
A conversation first
You meet your dentist in the consultation room, not the chair. Tell us what is bothering you, what you are worried about, and what has gone badly before.
Exam and photos
Digital x-rays (about a tenth of the old dose) and photos of each tooth, which we show you on the screen as we go.
A plan with prices
We go through what we found, what is urgent and what can wait, and what each option costs with your insurance applied. You decide.
Cleaning, if you want it today
Most first visits end with a cleaning. If you would rather come back for it, that is fine too.
If you're nervous
- Numbing gel before any injection, and we wait for it to work.
- A raised hand means stop, every time.
- Headphones and your own music.
- Breaks whenever you want them.
- Nitrous oxide or oral sedation for longer visits, discussed in advance.
Questions people ask
I'm scared of the dentist. Really scared.
You are not the only one, and it changes how we work with you: a conversation before the chair, numbing we test before we start, a hand signal to stop, and sedation options if you want them. Tick the box on the form and we will call rather than email.
Do you take my insurance?
Probably. The list is on the insurance page, and if yours is not there we will check in a few minutes when you call.
How soon can a new patient be seen?
Usually within a week. Same day if you are in pain and call before 10.
Do you see children?
From the first tooth. We keep first visits short and let kids set the pace.
What does a visit cost without insurance?
A first visit with x-rays and a cleaning is $189. Everything else is on the fees list, and you see the number before anything is done.