Your first visit is where we get to know you and your mouth. It is a full examination of your teeth, gums and soft tissues, with X-rays where they are clinically needed, a 3D scan of your teeth and advice on looking after them at home. You leave knowing how things stand and, if anything needs doing, with a written plan and what it costs.
What happens at your first visit
- A conversation about your dental history, your general health and any medicines you take, and about what brought you in
- A check of every tooth, your gums, your bite, your jaw joints and the soft tissues of your mouth, which includes a screen for mouth cancer
- X-rays, when the dentist needs them to see between the teeth or below the gum line
- A 3D scan, so that you can see your own teeth on screen while the dentist explains what they have found
- Advice on brushing, cleaning between the teeth and diet that fits what we see in your mouth
What you take away
If your mouth is healthy, the dentist will tell you how often it makes sense to come back: for some people that is every six months, for others once a year or longer. If treatment is needed, you get a plan that sets out the options, what each one involves and what it costs, so that you can decide in your own time. Treatment itself is normally booked for another day.
Before you come
Bring a list of your medicines and, if you have them, the details of any recent dental treatment elsewhere. If you are nervous about dentists, tell us when you book: it is common, and it changes how we run the appointment. If you are in pain, say so too, because an emergency appointment may be the quicker route.
Common questions
Do I have to have X-rays? No. They are taken only when they will tell the dentist something the examination cannot, and you can ask why each one is suggested.
Will my teeth be cleaned at this visit? The examination comes first. If your gums need attention, the dentist will usually suggest a separate visit to the dental hygienist.
I have not seen a dentist for years. Does that matter? It does not. The appointment is the same, and nobody will lecture you. The sooner we know what is there, the simpler the plan tends to be.
