Your First Visit

Regular Checkups

Don’t brush off regular checkups at your dentist’s office! Regular dental checkups are essential to maintaining good oral and overall health. We recommend regular cleanings and exams every six months. Seeing the dentist twice a year is recommended because your dentist can:

• work to prevent decay & gum disease
• check for problems that you might not see or feel
• find signs of decay or gum disease early
• treat oral health problems early, while they are still manageable

Regular checkups include a thorough cleaning and polishing of your teeth by one of our hygienists, and an oral exam by the doctor. Your hygienist will evaluate and treat any trouble areas in your gums, the foundation of your overall oral health. During the oral exam, the doctor 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.

Your First Visit

Your first visit to the doctor typically includes an x-ray or set of x-rays that allows the doctor to view the structure of the jaw, the position of all teeth, including any that have not yet erupted, malformed roots, and tooth decay that may not be visible otherwise.



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 problems or anxiety you may have about dental treatment.

The information collected in your first visit will help the doctor select the safest and most effective method of treatment for you.