The Importance of Having a General Dentist

As a specialist, Dr. Young like a sub-contractor. He takes care of some very specific things within the context of a bigger picture. Your general dentist oversees your care and is a critical element to your overall dental and medical health.

He will not place dental implants on patients who do not have a general dentist who knows them well.

If you are new to town and you need to find a general dentist, he and his team are happy to help.

If you are transferring from a periodontal practice in another location and are looking primarily for periodontal supportive care, again you first need a good general dentist. The dentist he would refer you to will certainly send you to see Dr. Young, or bring him in to see you. But your hygiene visits for periodontal supportive care will most likely remain in the general dentists office. Because this dentist and Dr. Young work closely together, be assured that you are receiving his services even when you am not there (and better yet, you don’t have to pay for my work behind the scene with this dentist’s team).

The Waved Fee Consultation

One of the most difficult things we have found when trying to answer patient questions over the phone has to do with what something might cost. For one thing, we have no good way of knowing what that actual problem is and therefore, what the best treatment might be, followed by what it might cost to treat. Secondly, the questions often involve insurance. Every insurance policy, let alone every insurance company, is different and we don’t personally know in any useful detail about any of them. Fortunately, we have people who do and your questions can usually be answered.

If you have these sorts of questions and concerns, it is completely understandable to us that you may not be ready to commit to a treatment plan. Also, it is very likely we have not met, but if you are anything like Dr. Young, you are hesitant to commit to treatment by someone you have yet to see or talk to. You may also a little more put out if you have to pay this individual just to meet with them.

On the other hand… From the doctor’s perspective, we do appreciate that it is expensive to set aside time to meet with new patients. So here is the best compromise we have been able to come up with. If you would like to meet with Dr. Young and have some of your questions answered, both by Dr. Young and by my team, then please come in for a waved-fee consultation.

To do this, we simply ask that you make the appointment you set without rescheduling, if at all possible. Having to reschedule this types of appointments become expensive on my end, therefore, please do not commit to this appointment unless you are absolutely sure you can come in. Should you have to reschedule, please give my office plenty of notice. If you have to reschedule multiple times or you miss a waved-fee appointment, then normal examination charges will have to be applied.

The Comprehensive Periodontal Examination

This appointment usually takes at least an hour and it may spill over into another appointment where you and Dr. Young will discuss the findings in more detail. He am a strong believer that you are best helped by him when you understand your problems AND know what to do about them, both in the short and long terms. In other words, most of the time, periodontal therapy is not passive. It isn’t just about Dr. Young  fixing your problems. It is more about the two of you doing what you can to enable you to achieve a level of health you currently may not have.

If you know this is what you need and wish to move forward, you may bypass the consultation visit.

Focused Treatment for Your Restorative Dentist

Some people come to Dr. Young for a specific procedure. It may be the placement of a dental implant, a soft tissue graft or something else. If this describes you, there is much we can do before seeing you, however, it is never a problem to have a consultation appointment first.

About Dental X-rays

The number and type of x-rays needed will depend on the number of x-rays already taken by your referring dentist, as well as the treatment or treatments you are in need of. When analyzing gum disease, a full series of x-rays is standard.

In most cases, we will likely need to take periapical x-rays. Periapical means “around the tip of the root.” These x-rays give a detailed view of the bone and roots that otherwise cannot be seen simply by looking in the mouth. It is important to know how long the roots are, whether there are any unusual shapes, and if there are bone quality issues that need to be considered.

A word about radiation: A full-mouth series of x-rays will expose you to an extremely low amount of radiation. This is due to the extremely high-speed film used today. Exposure lasts only a fraction of a second, and the rest of your body is shielded. The chance of illness from untreated dental problems far outweighs that from radiation.