To our new patient,

The Challenge of Taking the First Step

Sometimes the hardest part about entering the dental office is just that: entering. Crossing the threshold at a dental office should be easy but many people face obstacles that prevent them from thinking it’s easy. Some people haven’t been to the dentist in a long time and fear judgement from their providers or the staff based on the condition of their teeth. Some people have had a tough experience in a dental office before and struggle to overcome that trauma. Some people have lost hope that there is even a chance at achieving complete dental health. I want you to know there is always hope, you will be treated kindly, and there will never be judgement at our office. That being said, I think that the biggest obstacle that new patients may fear is the fear of the unknown: not knowing what can be done or how a dentist could possibly help. I would like to help that new patient understand how dental treatment works.

A Warm Welcome and Comprehensive Exam

When you walk in the door you will be greeted warmly by staff and invited to fill out a few forms, such as health history, dental history, and doctor-patient confidentiality acknowledgement, meaning that no part of the information you share will leave the dental office unless you request it. The dentist-patient relationship is private and important—it establishes trust. Then it’s time for the appointment! At our practice, it is always the dentist who first meets you in the waiting room. After greetings, you’ll be led to the dental chair where the information you wrote down is reviewed by the dentist or hygienist. The new patient exam is all about data gathering. We do a complete tooth exam with X-rays as well as a gum exam, all of which is reviewed by the dentist. With this data we start to come up with a treatment plan, taking into account your goals and desires. Treatment plans are comprehensive and properly sequenced in order to get the best achievable outcome.

Complete Treatment and Care

Step one is to treat pain, if there is any. Getting a patient out of pain is something that we do best—identifying the tooth or issue that is causing it and treating it appropriately for you to be pain-free moving forward with your care. Next up is periodontics, meaning gum and bone health. These are the foundational structures that support your teeth, and ensuring that they are healthy ensures that future dental work will be stable. I always say that you wouldn’t build a house on an unstable foundation! This treatment involves a dental cleaning or deeper treatment that will restore gum and bone health. After this, restorative treatment takes place where we fix cavities and prevent future tooth decay, if there is any. Dental crowns may be indicated at this time to stabilize previous restorative treatment or fix badly broken down teeth. Finally, we reach the end phase of dental care where we replace missing teeth, align teeth using orthodontics, and do cosmetic procedures to meet your desires and get you smiling proudly. Once all is said and done, regular cleanings twice per year will ensure that your smile stays bright and healthy.

Dedicated Team to Serve You

This comprehensive plan will be thoroughly explained and scheduled, taking into account insurance and other factors that are relevant to sequencing your care. Our team is dedicated to helping you reach complete dental health where you can be worry-free and pain-free. This is the path to overcoming that chief obstacle: fear of the unknown. Crossing our threshold will hopefully be easier now that you know what to expect. I’m rooting for you to take that step! If you have any questions or would like to schedule that appointment, I invite you to contact our office by calling 616-842-2850, or emailing us at office@harborlightsdental.com. Thank you very much for reading.

Yours in Dentition,

Colin W. Pellegrom, DDS, MHS