Whether it's only been six months since you've seen a dentist or six years, you may feel nervous about your first dental appointment. Knowing what to expect can help to ease anxiety, so today, we're going to discuss what a first visit at Harlow Dental entails, what you can do to prepare, and what to expect when you visit one of our three locations in Charlotte, NC.
Preparing for Your First Dental Visit
One of the best ways to prepare for your first visit to Harlow Dental is to complete your patient forms online in advance, so you won't have to worry about it when you arrive at our dental office. You can also gather your questions and write them down so you can make the most of your time with our dentists. We are excited to get to know you. Our team dedicates a significant amount of time to reviewing your health history, discussing your smile goals, and assessing your treatment needs, if applicable. So get ready to chat!
It's also a good idea to get your dental insurance information ready to share, if you have any. We're happy to review your specific plan with you and help you navigate your benefits. Here's a list of items to prepare for your first dental visit:
- New patient forms
- Driver’s license or identification
- Insurance card or information
- Any copays or money to be collected
- Latest x-rays or diagnoses, if available
If you don't have dental insurance, be sure to ask one of our team members about our In-House Savings Plan, which helps you cover your preventive teeth cleanings, checkups, and x-rays, for one low yearly fee. It also offers additional savings on certain restorative and cosmetic procedures to help defray your out-of-pocket costs.
What to Expect When You Visit Harlow Dental
Whether you choose our Steele Creek, Uptown Charlotte, or Eastway location, one of the primary goals of Dr. Justin Harlow, your trusted Black dentist in Charlotte, NC, is to ensure that you feel welcome and comfortable from the moment you arrive at our dental office. Our team will greet you with a smile, as we're excited to meet you!
If you haven't completed your patient forms online, we kindly request that you do so now. We value your time and strive to run our dental appointments on time. If you need to complete your paperwork at our dental office, please arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment.
Preventive Dental Visits
If you're visiting us for the first time for a routine preventive teeth cleaning and checkup, we'll begin by taking x-rays of your teeth. You'll meet one of our dentists as they review your health history and perform a thorough exam. They will screen you for common dental concerns, such as tooth decay and gum disease.
They will also screen for oral cancer, which is a silent killer of thousands of Americans each year, and is sometimes hard to detect on your own. You'll have a better prognosis with oral cancer if we can identify it earlier, and you can start treating it.
Our dentists also evaluate the health of your current restorations to ensure their proper function and anticipate any situations that could become problematic in the future, such as wear or breakdown. The earlier we spot concerns like restoration wear, tooth decay, or gum disease, the easier it is for you to treat and successfully manage them.
After your dental exam, you'll visit our hygienist for a thorough, yet gentle, teeth cleaning. If you're managing gum disease, we recommend returning at a future date for a deep cleaning called scaling and root planing, which reaches below the gum line and eliminates infection.
You'll leave your first dental appointment with a clear understanding of your dental needs and with a new team of healthcare providers on your side!
Emergency Dental Visits
Many of our patients first meet us during tooth emergencies, and we're here for you when you need us most! During a dental emergency in Charlotte, your first visit will focus on diagnosing the problem and getting you treatment and relief as soon as possible. Sometimes that even looks like same-day treatment.
Our dentists are prepared to handle all types of dental emergencies. Here are a few of the common ones we deal with:
- Knocked-out (avulsed) teeth
- Chipped or broken teeth
- Toothaches, abscesses, and infections
- Broken or lost restorations, like fillings, crowns, veneers, or bridges
- Facial swelling, bleeding, or pain
- Broken or cracked dentures
If you don't see your specific emergency listed here, we encourage you to call one of our Charlotte dental offices first. We can provide guidance over the phone, and we're better equipped to handle dental emergencies than a hospital emergency room.
Why Preventive Dentistry Is So Important
Your preventive teeth cleaning and checkup are essential for protecting not only your oral health, but also your overall well-being.
The Oral Systemic Connection
Gum disease has been linked with several non-dental health concerns:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetes
- Dementia
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Pregnancy complications, including low birth weights and pregnancy diabetes
- Stroke
- High blood pressure
Science has shown that the bacteria causing gum disease and those causing other health concerns are the same, and they can enter your bloodstream and travel to different areas of your body. That means that if you develop gum disease, it increases your susceptibility to other health concerns, and vice versa.
That's why monitoring and protecting your dental health has never been more crucial, and we're honored that you've chosen us to help you in this endeavor.
We Can't Wait to Welcome You to Harlow Dental!
If it's time for your next dental appointment, we invite you to consider choosing Harlow Dental. We're a talented team of dental professionals dedicated to your dental health and well-being, providing exceptional experiences at our Charlotte dental office. We make it easy by providing three locations in Charlotte for you to choose from: Eastway, Uptown, and Steele Creek. You can rest assured that you'll receive the same dedicated and friendly dental care, regardless of which location you choose.
We look forward to getting to know you!