360 Tour
To our valued new patient,
Thank you for trusting us with your dental care. Our aim is to help you achieve a healthy, functional smile for life.
We look forward to warmly welcoming you into our modern practice, and we will go out of our way to ensure you feel comfortable during your appointment.
At VC Dental you will be provided with comprehensive care and high-quality treatment.
We are here to help you however we can. Below we have outlined a little of what you can expect during your first visit, as well as some reminders of what to bring.
If you have any further questions don’t hesitate to contact our friendly reception team on 02 4323 1933.
We look forward to meeting you soon!
Your first visit:
Please arrive 15 minutes early to your first appointment, if you haven’t already filled out and submitted your pre-treatment form online (this link would have been sent to you in your new patient welcome email).
What to bring:
Please bring with you to your appointment:
- Reading glasses if you wear them.
- Your health fund card if you are covered by Private Dental Health Insurance.
- Any referral letters if you have been referred to our practice.
- Any personal x-rays if you have a copy.
- Your Seniors card if applicable.
- Your Medicare card (CDBS) or Veterans Affairs card if applicable.
Please ensure you know your medical history and have a list of any medications you are taking.
Pre-treatment form:
We ask you to arrive 15 minutes early so you have enough time to complete a New Patient Pre-Treatment form, which includes your personal details, and current and past medical history.
If you have already filled out and submitted this form online, you do not need to arrive early.
This information is necessary for us to ensure that we can provide you with the best possible care. It helps your practitioner to gain a complete overview of your medical and dental health, in order to properly assess, decide and plan your treatment.
Please be assured that our practice respects your right to privacy. Any information you provide us with is held in the strictest of confidence and is maintained in accordance with the State and Federal Privacy Legislation.
For more details, including how this information is used at our practice and to whom it might be disclosed, please read our Privacy Policy by opening the following PDF document: VC Dental Full Privacy Policy.
What to expect
Whilst every appointment is different to personally suit our individual patients’ needs, here is a general overview of what will happen during your first visit with us:
When you arrive our friendly reception team will greet you, acquaint you with our practice, and ensure you are feeling comfortable. We will provide you with a New Patient Pre-Treatment Form to fill out if you have not done so already, and you will have a patient identification photo taken (these photos are kept confidential). We will review the pre-treatment form with you and check that you don’t have any questions.
You will then be taken into the surgery where you will be seen by both a dentist and a dental hygienist.
Dentist appointment
Your dentist will introduce themselves to you and spend some time getting to know you, including reviewing and discussing your medical and dental history.
If you are currently experiencing any dental pain, addressing and alleviating this is our first priority.
Your dentist will then perform a comprehensive (but gentle) examination of your whole mouth including your teeth, gums and soft tissue. Low-dose digital x-rays will be taken if necessary to provide you with thorough assessment and diagnosis. We will also take digital intra-oral photos (photos of inside your mouth) which you can view on the surgery monitor. This lets you see what your dentist is seeing and can help you understand any areas of concern.
The examination will include:
- Assessment of your oral condition, including detecting if any tooth decay or gum disease is present.
- Complete charting of your existing oral condition. This is a record of all your teeth, noting the current condition of each individual tooth, any teeth you might be missing, and any additional teeth you might have.
- A bite assessment (how your teeth bite together).
- Thorough oral mucosal examination. This includes checking your cheeks, lips, tongue, throat and palate for oral cancer or any abnormalities.
- Assessment of your jaw joints, including jaw mobility.
- Examination of the lymph nodes in the head and neck area for any pain or tenderness.
Our examinations are designed to address the following areas:
- Dental Health
Including gum and bone health (gingivitis and periodontitis) and tooth decay. - Dental Function
Including tooth fractures or cracks, your occlusion (bite), crowding of teeth, and missing teeth. - Dental Aesthetics
Cosmetic dental treatments.
Your dentist will review any relevant findings of the examination with you, and will take the time to explain them in detail. If any further treatment is required, all available treatment options will be discussed so that you are suitably informed.
Your dentist will also consult with you to address any concerns, questions, needs or desires you may have. This includes what your dental goals are and how we can help you achieve them, and providing information about any elective treatments you might be interested in.
You will then be provided with a personalised, written treatment plan that takes into consideration your individual needs, desires and situation.
Depending on the complexity of your needs, we may invite you to attend a follow-up consultation with your dentist at a later date. This consultation is at no extra charge and is designed to allow you to ask any questions you have in a relaxed environment, to ensure you completely understand your treatment options.
Hygienist appointment
A dental hygienist’s role involves treating, managing and maintaining your overall oral health. Their main focus is on preventative dentistry, which is the practice of caring for your teeth and gums to keep them healthy. This helps to avoid or lower your risk of future dental problems and other health complications.
Your dental hygienist will introduce themselves to you and spend some time getting to know you. This will include reviewing your medical history, asking if you have any areas of concern (such as teeth sensitivity or bleeding gums), and reviewing any notes from your dentist.
Your dental hygienist will then perform a thorough oral assessment and professional teeth clean. This includes:
- Assessment of your teeth and gums, including completing a periodontal chart. This measures the health of the gum and bone levels surrounding each tooth.
- Performing a professional and thorough teeth cleaning of all surfaces of your teeth. This involves scaling and polishing to remove plaque and calculus from the tooth surfaces, including between the teeth and below the gumline.
- Polishing your teeth to remove stains and produce a smooth and shiny surface.
- Applying fluoride treatment to help strengthen your enamel.
- Assessing if you need any preventative treatments such as fissure sealants, plaque disclosing or saliva testing.
- Discussing your lifestyle factors and habits (such as diet).
- Advising on any lifestyle or medical factors that may negatively affect your oral health.
- Providing advice and education on a number of oral health topics that are specific to you.
- Providing dental product education (including how to brush and floss your teeth properly at home).
- Advising if you should be using any specialty dental products (such as high-fluoride toothpaste, or antiseptic mouthwash) depending on your personal medical and oral condition(s).
Your hygienist will review any relevant findings of their assessment with you, and will discuss your oral health and condition. They will create a personalised oral hygiene care plan for you, which will include routine preventative appointments and a custom home-care procedure.
You will then be given an oral care pack to take home with you.
We hope this page has been helpful!
However, if you are left with any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us before your appointment.
Our New Patient Offers:
Please let us know when booking your appointment if you would like to select one of our offers!
Popular
New Patient No Gap Appointment
Covered by health insurance
Comprehensive dental examination + oral hygiene assessment and clean + up to 5 x-rays if required
No Gap Payment
Popular
New Patient $290 Appointment
Not covered by health insurance
Comprehensive dental examination + oral hygiene assessment and clean + up to 5 x-rays if required
$290
Popular
New Patient Child $190 Appointment
Children 8 years old and under, not covered by health insurance
Comprehensive dental examination + oral hygiene assessment and clean + 2 x-rays if required