What will happen the first time I visit the orthodontist (initial consultation)?
The initial consultation starts with the first phone call.
When you call the office to set up an appointment for you or for your child, you’ll be asked for some information:
Address
Phone Number
Insurance Information
Social Security Number (use for verification with your insurance company)
Then, expect a couple of forms to be mailed or emailed to you, which include medical/dental health history, privacy notices and office information.
What Is A Typical Visit Like At Beecroft Orthodontics?
When you arrive, you’ll go on a quick tour of the office after your paperwork is being completed. If you've never been to an orthodontic office, it’s always nice to get a feel for what one looks like. They’re a little bit different than most dental offices because most orthodontic offices work in an open bay set up. With this set-up, the chairs aren't in individual rooms but out in the open, because you often see a lot of your friends, people you know from the community, and it allows us to work a lot more efficiently going from one chair to another. Our adjustment procedures are quick; usually anywhere from five to 10 minutes, but in a dental setting you’re there for at least an hour.
After the tour, you meet the treatment coordinator, who takes X-rays and pictures of you so we can see what’s going on in your mouth. We’ll contact your dental office beforehand and make sure you don’t have any recent X-rays, so you don’t unnecessarily have them. You will get to keep the pictures and X-rays.
Now, we have the appropriate information along with your concerns to diagnose the case and provide you different options. These include:
How long the case could last? (Treatment Span)
What’s involved? (Type of Braces and Appliances)
What your insurance will cover?
How much it will cost you out-of-pocket? (Treatment Budget)
The whole consultation takes anywhere from 30-45 minutes and is relatively easy and pain-free. We also offer the option to Skype-in for the consultation if there is someone who would like to be there but cannot make it due to other commitments.
After you get into the consultation room, you’ll get a chance to meet the doctor. Dr. Matt Beecroft will look in your mouth, compare the findings in the mouth with the pictures and the X-rays, and you’ll have a chance to discuss your specific concerns and questions. At that time, you’ll probably talk about what type of treatment is necessary, how long the treatment will be, and more specifically, the cost. In this appointment, there are usually working models of teeth available in each consultation room. So if the orthodontist recommends a certain appliance to correct something or if you are just interested in seeing what Invisalign looks like versus traditional braces and clear braces, these teeth models are available to touch, feel and move around in your hands. This gives you a good idea of what the appliance may look like in your mouth. Usually the offices are good about telling you what you can expect from those different appliances.
The consultation is an important and a necessary part of what orthodontists do, because we tailor people’s treatments to them individually. Everyone wants the same outcome of a beautiful smile and straight teeth but the road from A to B is a little bit different.
Getting there often involves different techniques. So, it’s important to come in and see exactly what you need and the best way to get there. The nice thing about a tailored treatment plan is you may have something minor that requires three months of treatment and is relatively inexpensive. Or, you may be on the other side of the spectrum. But, the initial consultation lets you know where you are.
Time to request your initial appointment with Dr. Matt Beecroft.
Beecroft Orthodontics, 10472 Georgetown Dr. Fredericksburg , Virginia Phone: 540-898-2200
Preliminary Visit to Orthodontist's Office