What to Expect at Your First Visit
Your first appointment is about 90 minutes. Here's how it goes, from booking to checkout.
Booking
Call us at the number at the bottom of this page. Tessa will ask for your insurance details, check your coverage before you arrive, and tell you what your plan is likely to pay for. The day before your visit you’ll get a text with a link to our intake forms, which take about ten minutes on a phone.
What to bring
- Your dental insurance card (or a photo of both sides)
- A photo ID
- A list of medications, including supplements and any blood thinners
- X-rays from your previous dentist, if they were taken in the last year. Tell us who your dentist was and we can request them for you.
In the chair
- A conversation first. We’ll ask what’s bothering you, if anything, and what you’d like to get out of the visit.
- X-rays and photos. Usually a set of bitewings and a few intraoral photos so you can see what we see.
- A full exam with Dr. Okafor or Dr. Lindqvist: teeth, gums, bite, jaw joints, and an oral cancer screening.
- A cleaning, unless your gums need a deeper cleaning first. If they do, we’ll explain why and schedule it separately.
- A plan in plain English. Anything we recommend comes with what it costs, what your insurance should cover, and what happens if you wait.
Kids
For children under six, the first visit is short and mostly about getting comfortable. A parent stays in the room. We count teeth, look for early cavities, and talk about brushing, snacks and thumb-sucking.
Nervous about the dentist?
You’re in good company. Tell us when you book. We can schedule a longer appointment, start with just a conversation, use nitrous oxide, or stop any time you raise your hand.