Patient info
Hours, insurance, and the questions this office gets asked most often.
Your first visit
What actually happens, in order, so there are no surprises.
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Call the office, or send the form
Phone and email both reach the front desk. Emergency calls and same-week appointments are welcome, and that goes double for new patients in pain.
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Bring your insurance card and a list of your medications
If another office has taken X-rays of your mouth in the last two years, ask them to send the files over. It saves you a second set.
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Exam, digital X-rays, and an oral cancer screening
An intraoral camera puts the picture on a screen, so you are looking at the tooth being discussed rather than taking someone’s word for it.
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A cleaning, once the gums have been checked
If the exam finds periodontal disease, a routine cleaning is the wrong treatment for it. The hygiene team will go through home care and what is needed instead.
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Costs, and how they will be covered
The office submits your insurance forms for you. For major work, a payment schedule is written up before treatment begins.
Insurance and payment
- Insurance
- We submit all insurance forms for you and work to recover the most from your benefits.
- Major treatment
- A complete payment plan with a written schedule, agreed before work starts.
- We accept
- Cash, Check, All major credit cards, CareCredit
- Changing an appointment
- 48 hours’ notice lets us give the slot to another patient. A fee may apply to a no-show without notice.
- Emergencies
- Call the office. Emergency appointments are available, including for people who are not yet patients here.
- Infection control
- The office meets or exceeds OSHA and CDC standards.
Placeholder — awaiting the practice The in-network plan list, and new-patient forms as a downloadable PDF. The current site has promised these under “Coming Soon” for years, which reads worse than having no page at all.
Common questions
Answers from the practice, kept in their own words.
Why are my teeth sensitive?#
Tooth sensitivity usually comes from gums that have receded slightly, exposing the dentin underneath and giving food and water easier access to the nerve. Toothpastes and gels manage mild sensitivity, and dental procedures handle what toothpaste cannot. Worth raising at your next visit.
How do I prevent gum disease and tooth decay?#
Preventing gum disease and tooth decay comes down to brushing and flossing daily, without exception. A steady routine at home does more than anything done in the dental chair to keep gingivitis and decay away as you age.
What is periodontal disease, and how is periodontal disease treated?#
Periodontal disease starts quietly, with bacteria around the teeth entering the gums. The early stage is gingivitis: gums irritated, inflamed and bleeding. Untreated, periodontal disease worsens, and the signs become hard to miss.
- Bad breath
- Gum recession
- Sensitivity to acidic foods
- Abscesses
- Tooth pain
- Tooth loss
Periodontal disease is chronic and needs attention promptly. Periodontal cleanings, root planing and scaling, laser therapy and local antibiotics will control the disease. Surgery is only for severe cases.
White filling or silver filling — which should I choose?#
Silver amalgam has been used for decades and works — the metal expands and contracts with heat and cold, which keeps bacteria out. White composite fillings are resin, fitted tightly into the tooth and matched to the color of the surrounding tooth. Both restore the tooth; only one of the two is visible when you laugh.
How can I improve my smile?#
Improving a smile is done with whitening, bonding, porcelain veneers and porcelain crowns, alone or in combination. Which treatment applies depends on your teeth, so a consultation and a treatment plan come first, rather than a quote over the phone.
How long does a dental implant last?#
A dental implant lasts roughly thirty years to a lifetime with routine hygiene visits and proper care at home. Placing an implant runs three to four visits over a few months, and most people are candidates — chronic illness, heart disease and severe osteoporosis are the usual exceptions.
Do you offer financing?#
Financing is available: CareCredit, plus payment schedules arranged directly with the office for major work. Call and ask what fits.
Hours
Four evenings a week until 7 pm, and two Saturdays a month. Closed Fridays.
| Monday | 11 am – 7 pm |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 11 am – 7 pm |
| Wednesday | 11 am – 7 pm |
| Thursday | 11 am – 7 pm |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | 9 am – 2 pm twice a month |
| Sunday | Closed |