Our approach to providing compassionate, gentle patient care starts at your New Patient Appointment.
We know that first impressions are powerful, especially when it comes to your healthcare providers, and that’s why we do our very best to welcome you into the Metro East Dental Care family from the very start.
Your New Patient Appointment is your introduction to our practice and our team. It gives you a chance to meet Dr. May and his staff, experience an evaluation, and decide if you’d like to entrust us with caring for your smile.
We aim for New Patient Appointments to be as easy as possible, with plenty of time for patients to have a real conversation with Dr. May about their oral health history and any concerns or thoughts they may have.
If you’re wondering what to expect during your upcoming New Patient Appointment, here’s what you need to know.
How to Prepare for Your New Patient Appointment
What to Bring
For most dental appointments you don’t need to bring anything other than your smile, but for a New Patient Appointment, you’ll need to bring along your insurance card and a new patient form (found here).
If you’re unable to print this form, no need to worry. You’ll be able to fill out a paper copy in person.
You can also bring along any documentation or dental health records you might have on hand or else ask your previous dental group to send them to our office.
Typical Appointment Length
A New Patient Appointment usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour to check-in, complete your evaluation, and book your next appointment.
Arriving 10 minutes or so before your scheduled appointment is typically recommended, especially if you have new patient forms to fill out.
Our Payment Options
New Patient Appointments and biannual checkups are generally covered by most insurance groups, but knowing what payment options are available helps for planning future appointments.
We accept all major credit cards, all major insurance plans, and we can work with you to find an affordable payment plan. If you’re concerned about financial options, our financial coordinator Sandy will help guide you towards your best choice.
Visiting Our Office for the First Time and Meeting Our Team
When you arrive for your first appointment you’ll be welcomed into our warm, relaxing office atmosphere. You’ll head to the front desk to check-in and complete any necessary paperwork. You’ll also get a chance to meet our front office team members, including our financial coordinator.
From there you’ll be brought back to an evaluation room. You’ll meet our clinic assistants who are a vital part of the team. A dental assistant will work alongside Dr. May, who will conduct your full evaluation.
What Happens During Your Initial Evaluation
Your first evaluation is all about getting an idea of where your oral health is currently at as well as what your goals are for your smile.
Reviewing Your Dental History
We will go over your dental and general health history with you and enter this information into our computer system. If you have any immediate concerns or ideas to take note of, they will enter this onto your profile for Dr. May to see so it isn’t forgotten.
Getting X-Rays and Images
The next step is to get some X-rays taken of your smile. Oftentimes there can be things going on under the surface of our teeth and X-rays allow Dr. May to see these possible issues.
If an X-ray seems to indicate a problem tooth, we might take additional X-rays or images of this spot for Dr. May.
Dr. May’s Evaluation
After that’s all complete you’ll meet Dr. May and start your evaluation.
Dr. May will look over your dental history, review your X-rays, and perform a thorough visual evaluation of your teeth and gums. He will also look for signs of oral cancer and other oral-related issues, such as TMJ disorder or bruxism.
Dr. May will let you know what he finds during your evaluation and if he spots an issue, create a comprehensive treatment plan. You’ll also have time to chat with Dr. May about your oral health, what your goals are for your smile, and generally get to know one another a little bit better.
Scheduling Your Dental Cleaning and Future Appointments
For most patients, Dr. May will recommend your next appointment be a dental cleaning with our hygienist Cindy. This is usually done before any dental treatment procedures as clean, plaque-free teeth are easier and safer to work on.
If Dr. May does uncover a more urgent dental issue during your New Patient Appointment, he will instead book an immediate treatment appointment, followed by a future cleaning.
Dr. May and the Metro East Dental Care team look forward to meeting you and your family.
At Metro East Dental Care, we promise to deliver ethical and conservative dental solutions in a relaxed, positive, and non-judgmental environment. We want to empower you as a patient to make informed decisions about your own oral health and spark a genuine interest in how truly important your smile is.
If you haven’t yet booked your New Patient Appointment with us, you can do so by calling our office or filling out this easy online form.