New Patients or patients not seen for a while

On the first visit to our practice the first thing we will do after greeting you is to ask you to fill in a record card which clearly explains that you will be treated as a private patient. Children on their first visit to the surgery are treated in exactly the same way as an adult.

You will then be asked to fill in a dental health questionnaire as well as a comprehensive medical history. We can help you if you wish.

As soon as this is done one of our practice nurses will take a thorough dental history, asking about what sort of treatment you have had, any problems or issues you are concerned about.

The dentist will then introduce himself.

Usually a dental examination is followed by the taking of x-rays, but this depends on a number of issues including clinical needs and medical history, the radiographs are then examined and the examination completed. Every examination is different, simply because every patient is different, however they all share the same thoroughness.

The dental examination is a detailed exam that involves the dentist reading your radiographs. The dentist then examines the soft tissues including the cheeks, palate, throat, tongue, floor of the mouth, and your lips. The purpose of the soft tissue examination is to detect pathological changes in the tissues that line the inside of the mouth. While the vast majority of pathology in the mouth is benign, precancerous and cancerous changes in the oral tissues may be found. It is best if detected at an early stage when it can be successfully treated. Tobacco and heavy alcohol use are major risk factors for oral cancer, and this is one of the reasons why we take a thorough comprehensive medical history.

The teeth are evaluated for cracks, decay, malformations and malocclusions. The dentist will also look for problems such as food traps and bleeding gums. The dentist will also ask about issues that concern the patient: previous dental experiences, problems with taste and breath, as well as issues with appearance and comfort.

As part of good practice we always to a Oral Health and Oral Cancer Screen which involves assessment of the risk factors as well as a thorough examination of the soft and hard tissues.The dentist looks for any problems that a patient may have including oral cancer, cysts, benign tumours, or oral signs of cancer in other parts of the body.

We use an intraoral fibre optic video camera wand to look inside your mouth. This technology makes it possible to see intraoral areas and features in a highly magnified and illuminated way not normally possible otherwise. This video scan is visible on a TV screen as we use the camera, so the patient can see the full colour, live, real-time images of their teeth and other intraoral tissues

In adults a periodontal probe is usually inserted between the gums and teeth to detect abnormally large crevices, and periodontal defects.

Finally, after the dental examination the dentist constructs a personalized treatment plan in writing for each patient, the plan includes the costs of any proposed treatments, the treatment plan is then discussed fully with the patient and the patient is educated about all the alternatives available for treatment.

The personalized treatment plan will also make references to any referrals for Specialist Dental care, and in the case of children, the present status with regard to Orthodontic status.

A financial plan can then be devised so that the patient can obtain this needed care. At this point these is nothing preventing you from beginning your first step in taking great dental care of yourself.

You can expect to be treated with great care, professional skill and focused attention during your visits. Several times a week, we receive compliments from our patients about our easy going manner, and about our habit of explaining each step as well as giving written treatment plans. We have found that these methods greatly reduce fear and anxiety, and ease the patient through the procedures.

The cost for this £25.00 as well as any x-rays (£7.00 for small ones and £16.00 for large ones)