Your First Appointment

When you come for your first appointment at Burwell Dental Surgery, you will be greeted by our friendly receptionist, who will be able to answer any questions you may have. We will ask you to complete a medical history form on our practice iPad, so that we know about your medical and dental history. It is important to complete this fully because some conditions or medications may affect the treatment options your dentist can offer you.

Once you have completed your form, you’ll be taken to meet your dentist. They will find out what’s brought you to the practice – whether it’s a specific problem, you are new to the area, or you are interested in a particular treatment – before conducting a thorough examination. Your initial appointment will last approximately 30 minutes.

Your dentist will start from ground zero, carefully examining your teeth, gums, lips, cheeks and tongue, including checking for signs of oral cancer. We use an intraoral camera like a third hand to take pictures of everything of note we see – broken or leaking fillings, decay or cracks in the teeth, for example. Your dentist will also dictate everything to your nurse, who will take detailed notes.

We will also measure your gums, check your jaw and bite, and take x-rays as necessary to aid with diagnosis. As we think it is important to involve you in your treatment, we often show you the xrays and any corresponding pictures as we discuss and plan your treatment together.

Should we find you require further treatment, we will provide you with a detailed treatment plan. We treat immediate problems first and highlight short-, medium- and long-term problems on your plan. If you are interested in cosmetic dentistry, we will treat any health issues first, because cosmetic treatment should only be carried out on a healthy mouth.

Your dentist will answer any questions you may have, and you are also welcome to get in touch with us at any time should any further questions arise.