Patient Concerns

Patient Education
We feel patient education is very important. Our goal is to give you all the treatment options and let you decide which would be the best for you.

Patient Safety
We take patient safety very seriously and adhere to the highest professional standards of cleanliness, sterilization, and radiation control. Our staff regularly attends safety seminars and are quite knowledgeable on the latest techniques.

Sterilization
We know that preventing the spread of infectious diseases such as HIV, herpes, hepatitis and even the cold virus is critical and our team takes sterilization very seriously. We use extensive sterilization procedures, going well beyond the guidelines recommended by the American Dental Association and Centers for Disease Control. We use barrier techniques such as disposable masks and gloves and replace them for each patient. Each piece of fixed operatory equipment is wiped down with antibacterial solution prior to every clinical procedure. Sterile water delivery systems are utilized. We use autoclave sterilization for all instruments prior to dental examination and treatment. You can be assured that our staff has been specifically trained on surgical and sterilization procedures and their importance, as well as engaging in continuing education.

Antibiotic Pre-medication
Patients with certain medical conditions (e.g. valvular heart conditions and artificial joints) may be asked to pre-medicate with antibiotics prior to treatment. We do this with your safety in mind. Please inform us if you have a condition that might need pre-medication.

Post Treatment Instructions
After treatment, home care and medication instructions will be thoroughly explained. For your convenience, you will also be given printed instructions. Of course, we are always available for questions before and after treatment.

Patient Comfort
We go to extraordinary lengths to ensure our patients are as comfortable as possible during dental procedures. Please view our Patient Comfort + Sedation page for more information on this topic. For your convenience, we offer eye protection and welcome the use of your digital music player with headphones in our office during procedures.

Special Equipment
We strive to stay on the leading edge of periodontal techniques and equipment. In order to do this, we take a great deal of continuing education. We also utilize advanced equipment in our office. This includes:

• High Power Loupes You have probably seen a High Power Loupe in a jewelry store when the jeweler was closely examining a diamond. Dental magnifier loupes are made for periodontists to view your teeth and gums in minute detail during periodontal procedures. The doctors use periodontal loupes in all procedures to ensure more precise treatment.
• Low Radiation Digital X-rays Digital X-rays are taken with very low radiation and have more flexibility in terms of rendition. They are also more convenient when planning treatment with your general dentist.
• Surgical Stents A surgical stent is sometimes needed to aid the success of dental implants, or implant supported dentures or bridges, by allowing for proper placement of implants.
• CT Scans CT scanning is an X-ray imaging technique that has become the new standard in surgical planning. It can image both hard and soft tissues, and creates precise 3-D models of the structures. We work with several CT scanning facilities to ensure proper diagnoses and precision with treatment.
• Fiber Optic Illumination Fiber Optic Illumination allows for excellent visibility with both surgical and nonsurgical procedures.