Your first visit
What happens at your first consultation.
Most patients arrive because their dentist referred them, often without a clear sense of what a specialist visit involves. Here is what to expect, plainly.
Before the appointment
Bring, where you have them:
- Your referral letter, if your dentist gave you one (you do not need one to be seen).
- Any recent x-rays from your dentist — digital is best, on a disc or emailed ahead.
- A list of your medications and relevant medical history.
- Your medical-aid details for the statement you submit afterwards.
During the consultation
The appointment runs 45 to 60 minutes — longer than a routine check-up — because the examination is detailed. We examine the gums, the bone that supports the teeth, the soft tissues, and your bite; chart periodontal pockets where indicated; and take intra-oral photographs of anything clinically significant. We explain what we find as we go, in plain language, and you are welcome to ask questions.
After the consultation
You leave knowing what you are dealing with and what comes next. We send a written clinical report to you and to your referring dentist, with an itemised treatment estimate where treatment is indicated. If you go ahead, we agree the plan — and any payment plan — in writing before treatment starts. When the specialist phase is complete, you return to your own dentist for ongoing routine care.
See also fees & medical aid.
