Information for New Patients

Your First Visit

We want your first visit to bc dental to be your best visit to a dentist ever. This visit is all about you and finding out how we can best tailor our services to your needs. It’s your opportunity to let us know what’s important to you and how you’d like us to treat you. So ask as many questions as possible about your treatment.

What will my first appointment consist of?

During your first appointment some or all of the following will be carried out:

• Discussion of your dental concerns and any goals you may have
  Once we know what’s important to you, we can give you options to help you get the outcome you want.
  

• Medical history 
  Although it can be tedious, a thorough medical history is vital in assessing your oral and overall health. Many systemic conditions and medications affect other parts of your body, including your mouth.
  

• Soft tissue check
  The soft tissues of the mouth including the tongue, lips and cheeks will be checked for abnormalities, so will your lymph nodes and facial muscles.
  

• Oral cancer screening
  Over 50% of new cancers are oral! As such, status exams include a no charge oral cancer screening.
  

• Periodontal (gum health) check
  Did you know that gum disease is the main cause of tooth loss in Australia? It is also the main dental cause for halitosis (bad breath). A gum check will pick up the earliest signs of gum disease and can be treated by our Dental Hygiene team.
  

• Occlusion
  Your bite will be examined to see how your teeth fit together. If you have had braces, this part of the exam is extremely important to make sure your teeth aren’t going crooked again.
  

• Radiographs
  X-rays are taken to check for decay and other dental issues that cannot be seen by the eyes, such as root canal or bone loss problems.
  

• Intraoral photos
  A picture tells a thousand words. We use intra-oral (in the mouth) photos to show you exactly what is happening in your mouth and document changes.
  

• Discussion 
  Once we have compiled all of this information, we will discuss our findings and work with you on recommendations to help you reach your goals.
  

• Our new patient cap!!
  All new patient exams are capped, so that regardless of how many pictures and x-rays are needed you will only pay the same low fee.
  

• Confidential history form
  This is used to help diagnose any dental issues and find out how your general health may be related to any teeth or mouth problems. This can either be:

  • Filled out online (preferred) 

  • Printed out and filled out before your appointment, or

  • Come in 10 minutes before your appointment and fill out the forms at bc dental.

As with all our appointments we expect to run on time and try never to keep you waiting. Please try to do the same for us!