The first dental visit at the dental clinic could be said to be the most important of all, since it is the first dentist-patient contact, the diagnosis is established to guarantee quality of care and the two of them will decide the next steps in the treatment.
How dentists organise the first dental visit
This visit normally consists of different parts. In the first part, the patient will be discussed to find out if they have diseases or allergies, if they take any medication, their last visit to the dentist or the frequency with which they brush their teeth, among others. Then, an extra oral exploration will be done, where the health of the chewing muscles, the temporomandibular joint, the lips will be checked, and the ganglia are also palpated.
In the second part of this visit, an intraoral examination will be carried out, mainly of the teeth, gums and dental implants, evaluating possible cavities and gum diseases around the teeth and implants. The bones and teeth will also be observed through X-rays, where it will be verified that there are no cavities in the teeth that are difficult to see in the mouth. In addition, we can also see if there is bone loss or any pathology that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
Finally, compiling all the information collected, we will make the diagnosis, the most important part of the 1st visit to a dental clinic. The dentist will make a list of problems to solve to each of them through treatment and prevention.
Diagnosis and dental treatment plan
Thus, the patient will leave this first visit with a diagnosis and a treatment plan, which normally consists of three phases: the hygienic phase or infection control, a rehabilitative and aesthetic phase, and a final maintenance.
Now that we know what it includes, the question we ask ourselves is whether this visit has to be paid or not. The answer depends on the clinic you go to. However, if time is dedicated to the first visit, additional tests are carried out such as x-rays, gum examination… and a good diagnosis is made based on many years of training and experience, patients can perfectly understand that the first visit have a cost.
In fact, at Nart Clínica Dental Barcelona, we advise you to invest in a well-carried out first dental visit to obtain an accurate diagnosis and a good treatment plan. The cost of this visit is negligible if a patient wants to be medically well treated.
