How Dentalgarten serves you
1. What can I expect on my first appointment?
Before every appointment, we ask all parents to complete a cavity risk assessment. This helps us understand all the amazing things you’re doing at home to keep your child’s teeth healthy. It also allows us to better support you in your dental journey.
New patient appointments are booked for 40 minutes. This gives us time for the oral exam, cleaning if necessary, fluoride treatment, review of the cavity risk assessment, dental counseling, goal development, and treating small cavities if present.
2. How can I prepare for our first dental visit?
First dental appointments can be scary since children are entering an unknown environment. Here are some helpful tips.
- Bring a bravery animal (a stuffed toy, not a real pet!). Dr. Diana might even use it as a model during the check-up.
- Think of songs that your child enjoys and let Dr. Diana know at the start of the appointment
- Read positive books about the dentist (check out Dr. Diana’s suggestion of fun dental books in her blog here)
- Role play the steps of a dental check up and cleaning (for ages 2-5)
- Lie your child flat on a bed
- Use a flashlight to look in their mouths and tell them you’re looking for sugar bugs - maybe even take a picture so they can see their teeth!
- Practice brushing their teeth while they’re lying down
- Model calmness and positivity. Children are very attuned to your emotions. Avoid mentioning pain, needles or threatening that the dentist will be upset with them for suboptimal home care. Be understanding of their worries - we want to foster a trusting relationship.
- Complete paperwork. To minimize waiting time for you and your child, make sure all intake forms are filled out.
- Optimal scheduling. Try to book your appointment when your child is expected to be well-rested and likely to be cooperative (not during nap time or meals - though we know that’s sometimes easier said than done!)
3. Do you treat cavities?
At Dentalgarten, we take a minimally invasive approach to dental care. For small cavities, we use silver diamine fluoride to help stop cavity progression. You won’t find needles or drilled at our clinic. For larger and more widespread cavities, we’re happy to refer your child to a facility for treatment.
No. We see children in their early years (ages 0-4/5) when they typically cannot tolerate x-rays. If extensive cavities are present, which may require sleep dentistry, we would be happy to refer your child for treatment. In that case, x-rays would be taken while they are under sleep dentistry.
5. Do you see emergencies?
Dentalgarten provides routine dental care and non-invasive cavity treatments (no needles). We can assess dental emergencies; however, we do not take x-rays which may limit our evaluation.
Booking Appointments
6. How can I book an appointment?
8. Where are in-person appointments?
9. What is the appointment cancellation policy?
We strive to provide excellent dental care to all our patients. To ensure this, we have an Appointment Cancellation Policy.
Patients are expected to give 24 hours’ notice if they are unable to attend an appointment.
After two missed appointments, a $50.00 cancellation fee will be charged.
If a third appointment is missed without proper notice, we may be required to dismiss the patient from the practice.
This fee cannot be billed to the patient’s insurance and will be the patient’s direct responsibility. No future appointments will be scheduled until the fee is paid.
Payment
10. What government-support programs do you accept?
11. How are payments made?
12. What methods of payment do you take?
General Questions
14. I still have questions. How can I contact you?
