New Patient Experience
Your new patient appointment always begins with a greeting from our friendly front office team. Then a member of the team will give you new patient paperwork to fill out. If you’d like to skip this step on the day you come in, you can download the paperwork from our website prior to your visit; just fill it out and bring it with you to your appointment. After your information is checked and verified, a Horseshoe Dental team member will take you back to the exam room. A dental assistant will then review your medical history and ask about your “chief complaint” or the reason for your visit. If necessary, the assistant will also take x-rays. After all the necessary information has been gathered, the dental assistant will summon the doctor to perform your evaluation.
The doctor will evaluate your x-rays and perform a visual exam to decide the best method of treatment. Our business manager will also review your treatment plan and provide prices to show your cost of treatment, including a breakdown showing how much of the cost will be your responsibility as the patient versus how much will be covered by your insurance company. Once you decide on a treatment process, you will be asked to sign a “consent for treatment” form.
If you are visiting Horseshoe Dental for a cleaning or annual exam, the process is much the same. Our hygienist will bring you back to the exam room, take x-rays, and conduct an oral cancer screening. She will then take measurements of your bone level to perform a periodontal diagnosis, remove tartar from the surfaces of your teeth (also known as scaling), polish your teeth (prophylaxis), floss between your teeth, and then finish with a fluoride treatment. When the hygienist is through with her treatment, the doctor will come in and perform an evaluation. Most insurance policies pay 100% of your cleaning cost, leaving you, the patient, with no out-of-pocket expense. So if you are currently paying for a dental insurance policy, take advantage of the freebies!
One of the top questions asked about dental cleanings is: “How old should my child be for his or her first cleaning?” Our dental team usually recommends the first cleaning at two to three years of age, unless there is a specific problem sooner that requires our attention. As many children are nervous about going to the dentist, we like to recommend that you first bring your child in with you when you are having a cleaning, allowing your child to watch the procedure before it’s their turn. This can help illustrate that it’s not scary. At Horseshoe Dental, we want a child’s first appointment to be fun. A ride in the chair and time playing with our light, mirror, and gloves can act as a great icebreaker.
