Your first visit to our office gives us an opportunity to get to know you and assess your dental needs. It also gives you the opportunity to be sure you feel comfortable with our staff and office philosophy. To become acquainted with our office prior to your appointment, please see our staff bios, office tour, payment plans and dental insurance providers accepted.
Scheduling An Appointment
When you schedule your new patient visit with our office, please be sure to provide our staff with your contact information, insurance carrier and who referred you to our office. Additionally, please alert us to any problems or concerns that you would like the doctor or staff to know in advance.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
Please plan on arriving 10-15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment in order to have time to properly fill out the necessary medical and insurance forms. Be sure to remember to bring a copy of insurance card if one was administered to you as well as a picture form of identification.
What to Expect During the Appointment
When you visit our office for the first time you can expect a thorough and complete assessment of your mouth. Dr. Gretzula will assess your needs and health using a number of evaluations and screening
tools.
- Full mouth set of x-rays: The adult mouth has 32 teeth; that is a lot of teeth to keep healthy! It is necessary to have a full view of all the teeth to allow us to see the surfaces the unaided eye cannot view. X-rays allow us to see between the teeth, under fillings, determine the level of the bone that supports the teeth, check for infection, evaluate anatomic structures and a number of other areas. You may bring a copy of x-rays that were previously taken at your prior dental office however, if they are more than a few years old a new set of x-rays should be taken to update your record. Please visit our dental x-rays page for more information.
- Periodontal Evaluation: Periodontal disease is present in some form in more than 80% of the adult population. Just like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, many adults do not know they have it unless they are screened by their healthcare provider. We evaluate every new patient’s gums for periodontal disease. The dentist or hygienist uses the x-rays to check the bone support and uses an instrument called a periodontal probe to measure how tight or loose the gums are around the teeth. They also look for signs such as bleeding, plaque and tartar and inflammation to determine if periodontal disease is present. If periodontal disease is not detected, you will see our hygienist for your cleaning. Patients with periodontal disease may need to return for a special cleaning called scaling and root planing. Please visit our page on gum disease to learn more.
- Oral Cancer Screening: Oral cancer can strike anyone, not just those who smoke. In fact, oral cancer is on the rise in young, otherwise healthy people due to infection with strains of HPV (human papilloma virus). Dr. Gretzula and your hygienist will look at your cheeks, tongue, gums, throat, floor of your mouth and neck to determine if any abnormalities are present. Additionally, the use of the VELscope® light is recommended for each patient. Since oral cancer begins as a very small lesion below the surface of the tissue, it is difficult to detect in it’s earliest stages. The use of the VELscope® light can aid in early detection of pre-cancer or abnormal lesions. Please visit our oral cancer and VELscope® page to learn more about our oral cancer screening.
- Restorative Examination: The doctor will evaluate the integrity of any existing restorations such as crowns, dental implants, or dental fillings that may be present in your mouth. She will feel and listen to your TMJ and check your teeth for cracks or wear that may be due to clenching or grinding your teeth. Lastly, the doctor will check your teeth for any new cavities and discuss the average cost of dental fillings needed, if any. An esthetic consultation may be included if there are areas of your smile you wish to improve upon. Please see our cosmetic dental services page for a comprehensive list of procedures we offer.
Based on the findings of these four areas, Dr. Gretzula will discuss her recommendations and your options for treatment, including pain-free laser dentistry. You will both create a treatment plan that is best suited to your expectations, needs and budget. You will meet with our treatment coordinators to discuss an insurance coverage your may have, set up a financing plan if necessary and schedule your next visit.
