Let’s set the scene.
You haven’t been to the dentist in a while and now it’s time to take the plunge and give the dentist a call to schedule an appointment. You call the office and a delightful young lady answers the phone and thanks you for calling. She asks you how she can help you, and you let her know that you would like to become a patient in the office. You continue to let her know that you haven’t been to the dentist in a few years and know that you need to have a cleaning and an exam, because after all that’s what you go to the dentist for right? The young lady on the phone goes on to tell you that she will need to schedule you for a comprehensive exam before she could schedule you for a cleaning. Your very next question is (that’s right you guessed it), “Why can’t I just get a cleaning?”
Most of us don’t realize how important comprehensive exams are to our current and future dental health and hygiene. Having a comprehensive exam as the start of your dental journey with a dental provider allows for your provider to learn about you in a dental sense. Your provider will learn about your dental genetic history because genetics do have a role in your dental health and help in learning about the future of your dental health. Your provider will also get to learn about you personally. Here at Delmarva Dental Services, we ask our new patients questions about what you like or don’t like about your smile, discuss and address any anxieties you may have, talk about your diet, your health history, as well as discussing how your dental treatment can fit into a financial plan that best works for you.
When you come into our office for your comprehensive exam, you can expect to meet your Hygienist, Doctor, and treatment coordinator for the first time. This allows you to begin to form a relationship that builds trust between you and your dental providers. We want our patients to feel comfortable and feel like family when they come to see us. We will take a series of x-rays and photos and will review those photos and xrays with you right there in the exam room. That allows your provider to show you what something in your mouth looks like to your eye and compare it to what the dentist sees when they look at the x-ray. So when the Doctor tells you that you need a filling, but to you your tooth looks fine, the Doctor can show you on the x-ray where the underlying problem is. Cool right?! We will also screen you for oral cancer, TMJ issues, and gum (periodontal) disease for preventative measures. Patients have been able to be made aware of other issues that they might have just by coming into our dental office and having a thorough dental exam.
If you are still wondering why a cleaning isn’t our recommended first visit, Dr. Leigh Auchey puts it this way, “Every patient is different and each patient should receive dental care that is tailor-made to their specific needs. Dental treatment is not a one-size fit all type of thing. Every patient needs different types of treatment, including cleanings, and that depends on factors that differ from patient to patient. The comprehensive exam allows us to find and address those differences. We present all treatment and financial options UP FRONT so our patients never feel surprised or misled into treatment or a financial commitment they weren’t told about.” At Delmarva Dental Services we treat each patient like our family and with our comprehensive exam; we are able to continue to provide each patient with specific, efficient, and excellent care! Remember, our goal is to keep YOU smiling!
Head to https://www.delmarvadentalservices.com/about-dds/your-first-visit/ to learn more about your first visit with Delmarva Dental Services!