New Patient Dental Exam
For many new patients, visiting a dentist for the first time can feel unfamiliar — especially if you’re used to a quick ‘check up’. At our practice, a new patient dental exam is designed to be far more comprehensive, giving us a complete understanding of your oral health, dental health, and general health.
This thorough patient exam allows us to carefully assess, diagnose, and create a tailored treatment plans based on your individual needs.
A Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment
Your first appointment is a detailed dental examination focused on building a full picture of your overall oral health.
During this new patient assessment, we:
- Take time to understand your concerns
- Review your medical history and any medical conditions
- Screen for head and neck cancers and gum disease
- Fully record details about your health history and expectations
- Carry out a complete oral health review
This isn’t a rushed visit. Our focus is to ensure every patient examination is thorough, so we can prevent problems before they develop into more serious problems.
Oral Cancer Screening and Soft Tissue Checks
As part of every new patient dental exam, we carry out a full oral and head / neck cancer screening.
This includes examining:
- The lymph nodes in your head and neck
- The skin on the head and neck, including considering moles or other pigmented areas
- The tongue
- Soft tissues of the mouth
We will ask questions about your experiences. Checking for early signs of oral cancer is a vital part of maintaining your health. Early diagnosis significantly improves outcomes, making this a critical stage of your examination.
Full Examination of Teeth and Gums
A key part of your new patient exam is a detailed examination of your teeth and gums.
We will carefully examine and record:
- Each tooth for signs of tooth decay, cracks, or old fillings
- The gums for signs of gum disease
- The overall condition of your mouth
Monitoring gum health is essential, as untreated gum disease can lead to long-term issues including bone loss.
This stage of the patient exam helps us assess your current dental health and identify any dental issues early.
Detailed Charting and Diagnosis
We record a complete chart of your teeth, creating a baseline for your dental health. In most patients we also record clinical photographs and 3D Trios digital scans. These maybe done at the time or we might request you visit out nurse-led clinics to gather this information.
This allows us to:
- Monitor changes over time, especially if you grind your teeth
- Track the condition of your teeth and gums
- Support accurate diagnosis
By the end of this complete examination, we have a much clearer understanding of your oral health.
X-rays and Advanced Imaging
In most cases, we will recommend simple bitewing x rays as part of your dental examination.
These help us:
- Detect hidden decay
- Identify bone loss
- Assess areas below the surface
For some patients, we may suggest further imaging, such as:
- Alternative x-rays (OPT)
- 3D CBCT scans
This provides a clearer picture of your oral health, allowing us to plan the most appropriate treatment.
Treatment Planning and Options
Following your new patient exam, we will create a personalised treatment plan.
- In simpler cases, we can provide a treatment plan and estimate during the same appointment
- For more complex cases, additional information may be needed before finalising your plan which may involve you being asked to return for a treatment planning appointment. Sometimes this is with a different clinician who has a special interest in a certain area.
We will always discuss treatment options clearly, ensuring you understand:
- Recommended treatment
- Alternative treatment options
- The cost and timeline
Our goal is to provide a structured plan that supports your long-term oral health.
Hygiene and Ongoing Care
Your new patient dental exam is separate from hygiene appointments. We recommend that all patients visit our dental therapy team for hygiene appointments.
Unlike a traditional NHS dentist check up, this examination does not include a quick clean. Instead:
- Dedicated dental hygienist visits are arranged
- Tailored hygiene services are provided based on your gum and oral health
This ensures your teeth remain healthy with the right ongoing dental care.
How Our Approach is Different
Many patients are used to short, routine appointments often associated with NHS services. These can sometimes feel rushed and limited in scope.
At our practice, each new patient exam is different:
- More time is spent to fully assess your oral health
- Advanced tools improve accuracy of diagnosis
- Every treatment plan is personalised
Our focus is patient care. We put prevention at the forefront of what we do. We focus on delivering a comprehensive range of dental services, ensuring each patient receives the attention they deserve.
Feel free to contact us or see out booking form to book in as a new or existing patient
