Your First Appointment
Every new patient appointment starts with the filling in of a medical history form, so it is advisable to arrive five minutes early to give yourself time to do this. You will need to bring an up to date list of any medications you may be taking.
You will then be seen by Paul, our dentist; he will ask some questions regarding your dental history and any problems you may be having including, if relevant, a history of the problem and anything that makes it worse. Getting an accurate picture will enable a more precise diagnosis.
Following a thorough examination of your teeth we will check the rest of your mouth. Every patient on every visit gets an oral cancer check because teeth aren't the only part of your mouth that can give problems. Because decay isn't always readily visible on examination, we take X-rays as these allow us to check those harder to reach areas. X-rays also allow us to see what is going on under the gums and at the end of the roots of teeth. Normally 2 small X rays are taken but this is dependent on your history or if something shows up on the first X-rays that warrants further investigation.
If you are having problems with your wisdom teeth then a larger X-ray that goes all the way round your head and shows the orientation of all your teeth is taken. All our X-rays are digital. Digital X rays use lower doses of X-rays than traditional X Rays and there is no development time so so within a matter of seconds they are on the screen for us to see.
Paul will then go through the findings of the exam and X-rays with you and explain any findings. He will also explain any options for various treatments that may be required and answer any questions you may have on the diagnosis or the proposed treatment. A treatment plan, timings and schedule will be discussed and this fully itemised and individual treatment plan is created there and then for every patient to take away.
After the appointment with Paul you will see Sonia on reception, she is on hand to answer any other questions or queries you might have. She will have two copies of the treatment plan, one of which you will need to sign for us to keep in our records, the other is for you to take away with you.
Signing the treatment plan does not obligate you to proceed with any treatment but stands as a record that we made you fully aware of any recommended treatment.
Sonia will be able to assist with the scheduling of any further appointments, however, we understand you may want to spend some time considering your options and if so, you can simply give us a call at your convenience and we can schedule them at a later date.
