General & preventive dentistry
The routine work that stops the expensive work being necessary.
Most of what happens in this office is unglamorous: cleanings, exams, x-rays and fillings. Done consistently, it is also the reason a long-standing patient here rarely needs anything dramatic.
What is covered
Cleanings & hygiene
Scale and polish, with deeper cleaning where gum disease has taken hold. Usually every six months.
Examinations
A full look at teeth, gums, bite and existing work, plus an oral cancer screening every time.
Digital x-rays
Lower dose than film and visible on screen immediately, so you can see what is being described.
Tooth-coloured fillings
Composite matched to the tooth. Old amalgam can be replaced where it is failing or where you would rather it was not visible.
Root canals
Performed here where the tooth is suitable. Complex cases go to an endodontist.
Extractions
Straightforward extractions including many wisdom teeth. Fully impacted teeth are referred to an oral surgeon.
Gum treatment
Treating gum disease before it costs you teeth. This gets dealt with before any cosmetic or implant work.
Nitrous oxide
Available for anyone who finds dental treatment difficult. Say so when you book.
Emergency appointments
Pain or a broken tooth during office hours: call and the front desk will fit you in where they can.
On being told you need work
The single most repeated theme across this practice's reviews is that nobody feels sold to. A 2018 reviewer called it a “great honest dentist.” Another wrote that they have never been given a treatment plan they did not understand.
Practically, that means being told which of three fillings actually needs doing now and which two can be watched, and being told when a tooth that another office wanted to crown can be repaired instead.
If you want a second opinion on a treatment plan from somewhere else, bring it in. That is a normal appointment here, not an awkward one.
Common questions
General dentistry
How often should I come in?
Every six months suits most people. Anyone with a history of gum disease may be asked to come every three or four months — that is a clinical judgement, and you will be told the reason.
What happens at a new patient exam?
A full examination, digital x-rays, an oral cancer screening, and a conversation about anything bothering you. You leave knowing what needs doing, what can wait, and what each option costs. More on the first visit →
I have not been in years. Is that a problem?
No, and nobody will lecture you. A significant share of this practice is people who stayed away for a decade or more. Come in, find out where things stand, and decide from there.
Do you do root canals here?
Yes, where the tooth is suitable. Complex cases and re-treatments go to an endodontist rather than being attempted here.