New Patient Experience

Imagine a dental visit where you’re treated like a person and not a number. That visit is what you’ll get when you come to see us at River District Dentistry.

Our online booking system aims to gather most of your necessary personal info before we meet you, so that you will get to spend more time with the dentist doing your exam and discussing treatment. There will likely be a few extra blanks and insurance pieces to sort out, so please stop by 10 minutes early while we get those last details wrapped up. If you have any prescription medications, please bring a list of them (along with dosages) to this initial appointment as some medications can have a profound impact on the services we provide.

Our dentist will meet you and have an informal chat - we’ll also discuss what brought you in to see us, and, if the matter is urgent, aim to find a solution that day if possible. Each treatment suite has the option of sliding privacy doors, so that the sounds and discussions of other patients’ appointments don’t disturb yours. Sit back and relax and enjoy our overhead TV’s as we perform a thorough examination, including bite analysis, jaw joint (TMJ) evaluation, oral cancer screening, periodontal (gum) measuring and status, and recording all of your existing dental work. We will also visually check for cracks, cavities, infections, broken or crowded teeth, and if you wish, any esthetic concerns.

An important step in your visit is acquiring high-resolution digital diagnostic imaging of your teeth. DSLR digital photos will be taken to let us assess your smile and jaw in a more comprehensive view, while zoomed-in macro photos of problematic areas can be quickly taken with our IntraOral Cameras. Our certified dental assistant will also take 2-dimensional radiographs to check for bone levels and cavities that can’t be seen by the naked eye, while your panoramic radiograph allows us to assess your sinuses and jawbones for cysts, erosive chronic infections, and other pathology. Finally, an intra-oral scan may be performed to let us view your teeth in 3D on the computer!

Once we’ve gathered all that information, your dentist will guide you through it carefully, explaining what all the findings mean and whether or not they’re urgent or elective. We’ll offer you treatment options and explain in detail what could happen if issues are left untreated. Our aim at River District Dentistry is to help you learn and understand what’s going on in YOUR mouth, what your options are, the pros and cons of each, and then empower you to make your health decisions :)