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Your First Visit
In most cases, your first visit will be a comprehensive evaluation that may last up to 2 hours. Most of our patients say they have never before had such a thorough examination. The state dental practice act does not permit us to clean your teeth until your have had an examination. Usually, the services and approximate times for the first visit are as follows:
- Completion of health history and insurance information
- You may save time by completing the forms online. 20 minutes
- Review of Medical & Dental History
- Dr. Wartell will ask you about your dental and medical history and what you would like us to do for you. 15 to 40 minutes
- Examination of teeth, gums, bite, jaw joints, and muscles
- Dr. Wartell will examine your jaw joints, muscles, bite, oral soft tissues, teeth, and gums, as well as taking closeup digital photographs of your teeth. 30 to 40 minutes
- X-ray examination
- Our staff will take any necessary X-rays, based on your previous X-rays
that are available to us, and your current needs. Please ask your prior dentist to send us copies of all of your X-rays in their possession. Many dental offices must be prodded to send copies of your X-rays and records. They may say to you that we only need your most recent X-rays. In fact, it is only by viewing all of your X-rays that we can determine if a disease process in your teeth and gums is an active process that must be treated, or a stable situation that does not need to be treated. 10 to 20 minutes
- Digital Photographs
- Dr. Wartell will take a number of digital close-up photographs
of your teeth, mouth, and face. 5 to 10 minutes.
- Impressions for diagnostic models, wax bite relation, and facebow records
- If any of these are needed to aid in your diagnosis, this will add 15 to 20 minutes.
- This first visit does not include a dental prophylaxis (teeth cleaning.)
- Until Dr. Wartell has evaluated you and made a diagnosis,
he will not know what treatments you need, or if a prophylaxis is your highest oral priority.
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- New Mexico law states that an examination must be performed by a dentist before a dental cleaning may be done.
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We enjoy answering your questions.
For more information, please call us at 505-474-4644
Center For Dental Medicine • 2019 Galisteo St. • J2 • Santa Fe, NM 87505
(Behind Los Alamos National Bank, St. Michael's & Galisteo) Map
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