Common questions

A new-patient visit runs about an hour. Your dentist examines your teeth and gums, takes X-rays if they decide you need them, and talks through what they found. You leave knowing your options and what each would involve. Bring your insurance card, a photo ID and a list of your medicines.

It depends on your plan. We bill PPO and indemnity dental plans and file the claim for you. How fees work explains how DHMO, Medicare and Medicaid plans are handled. Tell us your plan when you request a visit and our front desk will check your benefits before you come in.

You pay the fee for your visit, and we give you a written estimate before any treatment. Ask for it at scheduling or at your visit.

Call us and give your plan. We answer by plan and will tell you plainly whether we can see you under it.

Your dentist numbs the area and checks that it has taken effect before starting. You can agree a hand signal to pause at any time, and we stop when you use it. Some people feel pressure or soreness afterward, and your dentist tells you what to expect.

Your dentist decides, based on your teeth, your gums and your history. Some people come twice a year and some need to come more often.

A deeper cleaning below the gumline, usually done in more than one visit, for gums that have started to pull away from the teeth. Your dentist or hygienist shows you what they found before recommending it.

Yes. We see children as well as adults. A first visit for a young child is short: they sit in the chair and meet the team before anything is done. Ask the front desk about your child’s age when you request a visit.

Swelling that spreads to your face, eye or neck, trouble breathing or swallowing, or bleeding that will not stop needs an emergency room or 911, not us. For a knocked-out tooth, a broken tooth or a toothache that will not settle, call our office right away and tell us what happened.

We offer nitrous oxide, often called laughing gas, and oral sedation for patients who want it. You stay awake and can answer questions. Your dentist gives it, a trained team member stays with you and watches you throughout, and the dentist holds the state permit that oral sedation requires. Ask before your visit and we will go through it with you.

Yes. We give a written estimate in advance to anyone paying without insurance, and to anyone who asks. It lists the treatment, the visits it takes and what it will cost.

Call us or send a request through the contact page and tell us which visit. The sooner we know, the easier it is to offer your time to someone else.