What To Expect On Your First Visit

Whether you’ve visited the dentist every 6 months for your entire life, or once every few years, an appointment with a new doctor can be stressful. If you have sensitive gums, teeth that hurt or have even had a bad experience with a previous dentist, it can be nerve-wracking to step into an office for the first time. Like any new situation, the best way to alleviate stress is to do your research and come prepared. Here are a few things you might expect on your first visit to a new dental office:

Paperwork and Forms

You’ll likely need to fill out quite a few forms if you are a new patient – your medical and dental history, new patient registration, insurance forms and others, depending on the office. Plan to arrive a little early for your first visit to make sure you have time to carefully review documents. Your dentist may also have forms available online, so be sure to check their website. Locate your identification and insurance cards the night before your visit.

Questions and Concerns

Just like a presentation you haven’t prepared for, it might be difficult to remember any concerns you have about your oral health that your new dentist will want to know. It’s a good idea to make a list with questions and concerns you have–orthodontics, sensitive teeth, pain, etc – and have it handy for your first appointment.

Procedures

If you haven’t seen a dentist in a while, you should expect to spend a bit more time at the office. You’ll have your regular cleaning, but will also need to update your x-rays and may talk with your doctor more than you would at a normal checkup.

With these expectations in mind, your first visit to a new dentist will be a breeze! If you’d like to schedule a visit to Vacendak Dentistry as a new patient, contact us today by calling (757) 609-3510 or by using our online form.