Questions before a first visit

A new-patient visit runs about an hour. Your dentist examines your teeth and gums, takes X-rays if they decide you need them, and talks through what they found. Bring your insurance card, a photo ID and a list of your medicines.

It depends on your plan. We bill PPO and indemnity dental plans and file the claim for you. How fees work covers DHMO, Medicare and Medi-Cal plans. Tell us your plan when you request a visit and our front desk checks your benefits before you come in.

You pay the fee for your visit, and we give you a written estimate before any treatment. Ask for it when you schedule or at your visit.

Call us with your plan. We answer by plan, and we will tell you plainly whether we can see you under it.

Your dentist numbs the area and checks it has taken effect before starting. Agree a hand signal and we stop when you use it. Some people feel pressure or soreness afterward, and your dentist tells you what to expect.

Your dentist decides, based on your teeth, your gums and your history. Some patients come twice a year and some come more often.

A cleaning below the gumline, usually over more than one visit, for gums that have started to pull away from the teeth. Your dentist or hygienist shows you what they found before recommending it.

Yes. Ask the front desk about your child's age when you request a visit. A first visit for a young child is short: they sit in the chair and meet the team before anything is done.

Swelling that spreads to your face, eye or neck, trouble breathing or swallowing, or bleeding that will not stop needs an emergency room or 911, not us. For a knocked-out or broken tooth, or a toothache that will not settle, call our office right away and tell us what happened.

We offer nitrous oxide, often called laughing gas, and oral sedation for patients who want it. You stay awake and can answer questions. Your dentist gives it, a trained team member stays with you and watches you throughout, and the dentist holds the state permit that oral sedation requires. Ask before your visit and we will go through it with you.

Yes. We give a written estimate in advance to anyone paying without insurance, and to anyone who asks. It lists the treatment, the visits it takes and what we expect it to cost.

Ask the front desk which of our team speaks your language when you request a visit. To change or cancel a visit, call us or use the contact page and say which visit; the sooner we know, the easier it is to offer your time to someone else.