Keeping You Informed

You deserve to know at what cost and the effect of each option for caring for your teeth . . .

Emergencies

For an emergency visit, we will address your primary concern by taking a few x-rays and getting the problem under control.

Routine First Visits

Your first appointment will take about an hour and a half. During that time we give your mouth and jaw a full physical examination including:

A full-mouth set of x-rays. The best way for us to determine whether you have any decay between your teeth is with a complete set of x-rays, including bitewings. X-rays can also show us the status of your tooth roots, bone, and jaws. A full-mouth set of x-rays help us get a baseline for the health of your teeth, gums, and bones.

A comprehensive exam. We talk about any problems you may have experienced and if you have any specific concerns. We review the full mouth x-rays with you on our digital monitors. This makes it easy for all of us to see what is going on in your mouth. We note the existing condition of your teeth, record areas of concern, measure your gum tissue and evaluate for gum disease, screen for oral cancer, evaluate your smile, assess TMJ (your jaw joint) health and chart occlusion (the way your teeth meet up with one another).

Depending on what we see, we will clean your teeth – also known as a prophylaxis. Your own toothbrush cannot remove the hardened build-up of plaque and calculus. This thorough cleaning takes care of that. We utilize an ultrasonic scaler that uses water and vibration to remove plaque, stain, and calculus from the teeth and flush it away from below the gumline.

If we find any decay or other matters that cannot be taken care of during this allotted time, we will make appropriate appointments for further treatment.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR CARE

Our staff want you to understand what we are recommending for your oral health. We go over treatment plans, insurance coverage, and payment options with you. If you need more time to talk we are glad to schedule a time with the doctor or office manager for you to better understand your oral health needs. We can also help you strategize what may need to be done first and what might be able to wait a little longer. Just ask. We also encourage you to visit the links on this site to learn more about various treatments and the equipment we use.

KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT BEFORE WE PROCEED

Prior to completing any major dental work, we can provide you with a written treatment plan to outline what needs to be done, the amount of time for each appointment and the costs of each phase. If you are interested, we review a variety of financing options including payment plans, MasterCard/Visa/Discover, and cash or senior discounts.

CHANGING AN APPOINTMENT

At Peterson Family Dentistry we try to carefully set up appointments to accommodate your schedule. If your needs change, we appreciate as much advance notice as possible. Please give us at least 24 hours notice if you need to change your appointment. Your time is reserved for you and cancellations with less notice may be charged a missed appointment fee.

For Your Comfort

For your enjoyment, we offer XM Satellite radio and you can even pick your favorite channel to listen to during your appointment! If you don't ask for something different, Dr. Peterson will most likely have 80s music, the Elvis channel, or classic rock playing through the speakers.

Cozy blankets are available to keep you warm - just ask.

We also offer bite blocks if you need it to rest your jaw while we work in your mouth. Again, let us know if we can do anything to make your visit to the dentist more comfortable.