Your First Visit
Set aside about an hour. Nothing is done to your mouth that day. You leave knowing what is going on, what your options are, and what each one costs.
Before You Come
- Your forms. Once your consultation is on the schedule, we email or text you a link so you can complete your medical history at home. Patient forms.
- What to bring. Your insurance card, a list of your medications and the doses, and any X-rays or notes from your dentist. We usually have those already.
- What to tell us. Any medical conditions, and especially diabetes, heart conditions, joint replacements, blood thinners, and anything you take for osteoporosis.
- Time and parking. Give yourself about an hour. Free visitor parking is on the third-floor parking deck, at the same level as our office door, and ADA-accessible parking is in the front of the building or in the covered parking garage. Directions.
What Happens
There is a longer, minute-by-minute walkthrough in What happens at a periodontal consult. The short version:
- Your medical history. A few minutes with a team member, going through the form you completed.
- The exam. Dr. Verrett measures the gum around every tooth, checks for recession, looseness, and bleeding, and looks at any implants you have.
- Imaging. Digital X-rays as needed, and a 3D scan here in the office when the case calls for it, reviewed with you on the screen.
- The conversation. What he found, what it means, what your options are, and what he recommends. Ask everything you want to ask. There is no rush, and no one is waiting on the room.
- A written plan and estimate. You take it home with you. If your dentist sent you, they get a written report after the visit.
After the Visit
If you decide to go ahead, the front desk schedules the treatment and goes through the pre-operative instructions, sedation if you are having it, and the financial side. You are also welcome to take the plan to your dentist first and think it over. Plenty of patients do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a referral?
No. Most patients are sent by their dentist, and we work closely with referring dentists, but you can call and make an appointment yourself. If you do not have a general dentist, we can point you to one.
Will treatment happen at the first visit?
Usually not. The first visit is for finding out what is going on and planning what to do about it, so you have time to think and to talk it over with your dentist. An urgent problem is the exception, and the office will try to get you seen as soon as possible.
How long does it take?
Forty-five minutes to an hour.
What if I need to move my appointment?
Two business days' notice lets the time go to someone else who is waiting. Later than that, there may be a charge. Call the office as soon as you know and it will be worked out.
What if I'm nervous?
Tell whoever you are talking to. A lot of patients are nervous, and it is worth saying out loud. Nothing is done to your mouth at the first visit, and when treatment is planned, how to keep you comfortable is part of that conversation.