Nervous about a checkup? Here's exactly what happens

About a third of our new patients haven’t seen a dentist in over five years. If that’s you, the unknown is usually scarier than anything that actually happens in the chair. So here is the entire visit, minute by minute, nothing left out.

Minutes 0–10: talking, not treating

You sit in a normal chair, not the dental one. We ask what brought you in, what you’re worried about, and whether anything hurt in the past. Two things we will never do: lecture you about how long it’s been, or start any treatment at this visit without discussing it first.

Minutes 10–25: the look around

Now the dental chair — reclined, with a light. We look at each tooth and the gums around it, calling out numbers and short codes to the assistant. Ask us to translate as we go; most patients find it demystifies the whole thing. If something needs a closer look we take a digital X-ray. It takes seconds and the dose is roughly what you absorb on a two-hour flight.

Minutes 25–45: cleaning

Professional cleaning removes tartar — the hardened deposits no toothbrush can touch. You’ll feel vibration and hear a high-pitched sound from the ultrasonic scaler; it’s noisy but shouldn’t hurt. Sensitive teeth? We can numb the area with gel. Then a gritty polish and you’re done.

The last five minutes: the honest conversation

You get three things before you leave:

1. What we found — shown to you on the screen, in plain language.
2. What (if anything) needs doing — split into “now”, “soon”, and “can wait”.
3. What it costs — written down, fixed prices, no obligation to book anything today.

What it won’t be

No pain without warning. No surprise procedures. No guilt trip. If at any point you want a break, raise your hand and everything stops — that rule has held for fifteen years.

The hardest part of coming back after years away is booking the first visit. After that, it’s just… a checkup.