Are you Accepting new patients?
Our practice is always accepting new patients! The referral of a family member, friend or co-worker is the greatest complement that a patient can provide us.
Do you take insurance?
We accept dental insurance as long as you can choose who you want to see. We choose not to be a “Preferred Provider” for any insurance company so if you have one of these plans and want to use it check with your plan to make sure you can go “out of network” - we will file the claims for you and you will be responsible for anything that is not covered. While the concept of dental insurance sounds like a great benefit to have, the reality is That most of today’s dental plans cover very little and force patients to see someone on a list with limitations and restrictions that could directly impact the treatment that is recommended and provided based on “what is covered”. Despite what many Insurance companies would like you to believe, dentistry is not a commodity like a loaf of bread or a set of tires; it is a professional relationship built on trust where the patient is highly dependent on the recommendations and treatment by the dentist. One of the worst decisions a patient can make is selecting an office simply because they take their insurance. Treatment recommendations can be very subjective and All Dental treatment is irreversible - the least costly treatment for you is the most appropriate necessary treatment that is completed very well the first time. Many patients find that at the end of the day their “insurance” is simply not worth it - that who they see does matter; and that their Oral health is far more important to them than their dental plan .
Can I just have my teeth cleaned?
Teeth cleaning (dental prophylaxis) is an important dental clinical procedure that should be completed only after a complete examination of your oral condition including a review of any necessary x-rays. Having your teeth cleaned without an examination and x-rays could allow gum disease, dental decay, and other oral conditions to go undetected and untreated. At our practice, We will always schedule a comprehensive examination appointment as described in the services section of the website prior to any dental hygiene appointment to ensure all aspects of your dental health are properly addressed. Dental hygiene appointments are scheduled for a full hour after the comprehensive examination appointment has been completed.
It’s been a long time since I had any dental care. What’s the best start?
If there are no areas that are giving you significant discomfort and there are no immediate esthetic concerns, the best starting point would be to schedule a Comprehensive Exam as described in the services section of the website. After the exam, any treatment needs can be prioritized, options reviewed, and a detailed plan can be drafted reflecting your specific desires and goals that also is manageable from a time and financial standpoint. This can sometimes involve phasing the treatment over a period of time addressing the most pressing needs first.
I had a coupon for a free exam and x-rays but i’m not comfortable with the recommended treatment - what would you recommend?
If you are not 100% comfortable or do not understand the treatment that was recommended for you, It is best to schedule a comprehensive exam - This would involve obtaining the X-rays that were taken - have their office email them to you directly and you can forward them to us - we might be able to use them. We don’t do “Free second opinions” as it takes time to do a thorough exam, assess your current condition, and put a detailed plan together - The treatment plan of the prior dentist will be irrelevant to what we feel will be best for you.
Coupons and “special deals” are great for a pizza or maybe a carwash, but never when it comes to your health.
Do you have an in house dental savings plan?
An in house dental savings plan is a marketing tool to have the patient commit to a year of “discounted” service with the perception that they will be saving if they sign up for this special plan and pay up front; it is usually targeted to “patients that don’t have insurance”. In addition to locking the patient in for a year, these types of plans put patients into a one-size fits all for maintenance with most covering “2 regular cleanings per year” - many patients do not need 2 dental hygiene appointments per year and can comfortably come once a year or every 9 months for maintenance; other patients may need periodontal scaling or would be better to see a periodontist both of which would not be “covered” which could potentially lead to a delay in your referral. Any Percentage “discount” that the patient receives from the plan are from arbitrary fees set by the office.
Patients are far better served if they seek out the best dentist they can find; they are provided a thorough examination and a subsequent prioritized detailed plan that is manageable and customized to their specific needs.
My previous dentist “did everything” - implants, root canals, sedation, orthodontics, wisdom tooth extractions, TMJ treatment - do you “do everything” at your practice?
There is a prevailing misconception in dentistry that does not exist in other professions. Many patients are under the impression that if they see a dentist who claims that they can “do everything in house” somehow serves them better which is unfortunately not the case. Would one ever see a physician that “does everything” - plastic surgery, colonoscopies, and cataract surgery or see an attorney that “does everything” - criminal law, Probate, Immigration , etc. Like these other professions, In Dentistry Patients receive the best care when they are seeing the most qualified professional to complete any phase of their dental treatment - sometimes this is with a general dentist and other times they are far better to see a specialist that exclusively treats one specific aspect of dentistry. I can tell you with 100% certainty that if a dentist needs specialty care for himself ie. orthodontics, Root canal treatment, implant surgery - that they will be seeing an orthodontist, endodontist, and periodontist or oral surgeon respectively. At our practice, We feel that all patients should be afforded this same level of care - working closely with a select group of board certified dental specialists, all experts in their fields, we seamlessly coordinate these referrals into any planned treatment. Your general dentist is still the most important person on your team to collaborate with you a manageable and appropriate treatment plan, coordinate any specialty treatment on your behalf, complete any restorative or esthetic treatment, and maintain your oral health.
Nothing hurts, so everything should be ok, right?
The Absence of pain is not a reliable indicator of the state of your dental health. Most dental problems have no pain associated with them. Gum disease which essentially is the eroding away of the supporting bone around teeth usually has no symptoms - left untreated, this condition will eventually lead to tooth loss. Active dental decay is also initially painless; it’s progression is variable, but it will with certainty affect more of the tooth over time - what was once a simple restoration can quickly turn into a situation involving more extensive treatment or unfortunately tooth loss. oral cancer has no initial symptoms and may never develop symptoms for the patient even though it is spreading and affecting more of the area.
I have a really bad toothache - who should I see?
The answer to this would be - it depends. Usually the best person to start with is a general dentist who can assess the tooth and the overall state of your oral health. You can then be provided the treatment options if the tooth is savable along with an estimate of the costs involved and any necessary referral to a specialist. This appointment is strictly for diagnosis and would not involve the treatment of the tooth. If however, the patient is 100% sure of the tooth involved and has no interest in trying to save it or replace it, they would be best served by seeing an oral surgeon directly to have it removed.
How often should I be having my teeth cleaned?
The interval between dental hygiene appointments should be specific for the patient. Traditionally, every 6 months has been the most commonly used time frame; however, many patients with good oral hygiene and minimal to no prior treatment can comfortably come every 9 months and in some cases once annually. There are other patients who have had fairly extensive prior treatment - they are far better to have a shorter dental hygiene interval (3-4 months) to minimize the need for additional treatment going forward.
I don’t like having x-rays - do I really need to have them?
The information provided by dental x-rays is invaluable in detecting dental problems including dental decay, abscess formation, periodontal disease and dental pathology. They are equally important in establishing baseline information as well as the absence of disease. The frequency of having radiographs taken should be specific to the patient and not based on an arbitrary timeframe- patients who are in excellent oral health with minimal prior treatment do not need to have them as frequently as someone who has had moderate to extensive treatment in the past. With the advent of digital radiographs, the amount of radiation exposure from a dental radiograph is insignificant - On average, your body is exposed to 3.1 millisieverts (mSv) of natural radiation alone per year. At . 005 mSv, the radiation you receive from the aforementioned dental x-ray is less than 1.6% of your daily background radiation exposure.
Dental x-rays should be viewed similar to routine bloodwork or other medical testing taking into consideration the patien't’s individualized risk assessment - prior results do not reflect a patient’s current status. If there is a clear indication for dental x-rays particularly at the initial Examination appointment, it would be a disservice to the patient and essentially practicing below the standard of care to not take them as patients cannot agree in advance to negligent care.
Do you treat children?
To instill an early positive dental experience with dentistry, young children are best seen by a pediatric dentist - their practices are set-up and their teams better trained to treat children. Once they reach the teen years, we can comfortably see most of them in our practice. Please give the office a call and we can provide a referral.
I don’t have dental insurance - should I try to buy a dental plan?
Some patients feel that it is necessary to have “dental insurance” in order to take care of their teeth due to the expense that is involved. while it is true that dental treatment can get costly just like everything else in life, not addressing problems early on will always lead to more involved and costly treatment. The marketing of dental insurance plans can oftentimes make these plans look appealing, but the limitations and restrictions that come with them will prevent you from receiving optimal care. It never pays to purchase dental insurance or some dental plan in the hope that it will cover your future treatment - it never will. The best thing you can do is find a dentist that you can trust, have a comprehensive exam and a subsequent detailed phased treatment plan that is manageable for you in terms of both time and money.
I’m tired of taking care of my teeth and thinking of getting dental implants so I don’t have to worry about anything anymore - do implants really last forever?
Dental implants have been a wonderful treatment option for thousands of people- they can provide support for a single tooth, multiple teeth and even a complete set of teeth. In the not-too-distant past, the only options for replacing teeth were fixed bridges using the remaining teeth or removable partial and complete dentures. Dental implants have fortunately provided us many more options for our patients; However, dental implants and the restorations that are supported by them are far from being problem free - is there anything in this world that truly lasts forever - particularly something that is used 24 hours a day/7 days a week? Dental implants are a medical prosthesis similar to an artificial knee or hip that oftentimes needs “revision or replacement surgery” at some point in the future; there is a cost and time involved in doing this. Although decay is not something that will affect dental implants, if the implants and prosthesis are not planned and fabricated or maintained properly, of if the patient was not a good candidate for implants, the implants will fail. Excessive biting forces will cause the implants to lose bone, loosen or break. Screw loosening of the restoration, discoloration, wear, or fracture of the acrylic, porcelain or zirconium are other potential future complications - the management of these complications can be challenging, costly, and oftentimes nontreatable.
I just graduated from college and and I think I’d like to have veneers for all of my front teeth - are you a cosmetic dentist?
Although you will oftentimes see “cosmetic Dentist” in dental advertisements, Cosmetic Dentistry is not a recognized specialty by the American Dental Association; for many patients, “cosmetic dentistry” means having porcelain veneers and/or crowns fabricated to correct imperfections in their smile. While this approach can certainly provide a very beautiful result in a short period of time … initially, The drawbacks of having this treatment are numerous and oftentimes not discussed - the amount of irreversible tooth removal is significant. You can do A simple google image search of “tooth preparation for porcelain veneers” to see the amount of healhy tooth that needs to be removed which will weaken each tooth. Some will advertise “no preparation veneers” - these will usually make the tooth look very bulky or be so thin t hat fracture will be imminent. The long-term consequences of making the decision to ”have a smile makeover” or have multiple veneers, sometimes as many as 20, can be devastating, particularly for a young patient - Porcelain fracture, tooth sensitivity, recurrent decay, gum recession will all lead the patient down the path to a lifetime of additional future dental treatment. At our practice, we deliver beautiful aesthetic crowns and veneers, but we will only proceed with this option when all other more conservative options have been explored - ie orthodontics, tooth whitening, bonding, recontouring, etc.
I’m extremely nervous having dental treatment - do you have nitrous oxide or can I be put to sleep when I have treatment?
We do not have nitrous oxide or do any type of oral or IV sedation so if you definitely are going to need something like this you would be better served by a practice that utilizes this or possibly the University of Florida College of Dentistry in Gainesville. However, For the vast majority of patients, our local anesthetic technique can get most sufficiently comfortable without the added cost and medical risks that come with sedation..
Is there a fee if I miss my appointment?
Our practice sees a very limited number of patients each day - We schedule your appointment exclusively for you and never double book appointments in anticipation of someone not keeping theirs. We strongly advise all patients to hold off on scheduling an appointment if they are unsure of their schedule, their ability to keep the appointment, or if they are simply not ready to begin treatment (which is certainly ok). Please be advised that There is a fee of $115/hour for any missed appointment without at least 24 hours prior notice.
I’d like to become a new patient, what do I need to do?
If you have dental insurance and want to use it, check with your insurance company to see if you can go “out of network” - we choose not to be a “Preferred Provider” for any insurance company.
Call your previous dental office and request that they email your X-rays and any other relevant information (ie. implant information) directly to you - you can then forward them to dreyrhee@yahoo.com. This allows you to obtain a copy of your records and ensures that it has been completed before your appointment.
Schedule a “Comprehensive Exam” as described in the “Services” section of our website. We do not do a dental hygiene “cleaning” at this initial appointment - we schedule a separate full hour with our dental hygienist for this service.
You can download our new patient registration forms in the “Patient Resources” section of our website and fill them out before you come in
If you premedicate with antibiotics before dental appointments, make sure you. get a prescription from your physician and take it before your appointment as we will be assessing the health of the gum tissue when you come in.