Dental Procedures Explained - Examinations

What to expect from your Dentist during an Examination

Patients are usually completely confused by what they are getting out of an exam. Most patients arrive new to a Dental Office and simply ask for a check-up. A “check-up” is in fact an examination and assessment of pre-existing diagnosis. It is difficult for a Dentist to do a check up on a new patient because they have no idea of the person mouth, gums, and teeth. A patient new to an office should receive a Complete, Specific, or Emergency Exam. No matter what Dental Office you go to, that Dentist has a responsibility to you for your oral health. It is imperative that the Dentist does some type of examination to fulfill his or her obligation to you. To understand what you are getting, and what type of examination is appropriate for you, we have put together this summary.

Complete Oral Examination

A Complete Oral Exam (COE) is always good to do when coming to an office for the first time. The Dentist exams all 5 surfaces of each tooth in a person’s mouth. The Dentist will also probe the gum aroundeach tooth to assess the health of the gums and gingival attachment. X Rays images are also taken. The images that accompany a COE should be Panoramic image and 4 Bitewing X Rays, as well as 2 Periapical X Rays. The Dental Assistant normally takes the X Rays. The Dentist is very limited to what they can see and detect by eyesight alone, X Rays are critical to a proper examination. With all of this information the Dentist has a good idea of exactly what is going on in the person’s mouth. This information should be shared and communicated clearly to the person. Any cavities or caries detection should be pointed out to the patient and explained. Any issues with the gums should be discussed as well. Through this dialogue root causes should be sought after, and solutions to improve the person’s health should be further provided by the Dentist. All of this information is meticulously captured in notes that the Dentist writes and is kept for future and permanent reference. A COE should be a minimum of 1 hour. In some cases the COE requires more time. Afterwards the Dentist prepares a treatment plan documenting any and all treatment, as well as the cost required. At this point a Treatment Coordinator normally would discuss priorities and timelines for treatment and provide you with the treatment plan and any other information to go home with. It is important to remember that the Dental Office is a steward of your information and if you move on you can take this information (X Rays, Dr. Notes, Treatment Plans, etc) with you. The cost for a complete exam based on the 2016 fee guide is $133, but often varies depending on the situation and the amount of time involved for the Dentist. This fee does not include the cost of X Rays.

Specific Exam

The complete and thorough examination of a specific tooth, or area of a person’s mouth. A good example would be a chipped or cracked tooth. Or ongoing soreness or discomfort in a particular region of the mouth (ex. bottom left). The Doctor normally will have to take an X Ray or two to “see” what is going on under the gum. With this information the Dentist should diagnose the issue and deliver treatment recommendations both verbally and in the form of a documented treatment plan. The Dentist documents all of this information in your records. Treatment plan can then be discussed with the Dentist or a Treatment Coordinator. The Specific Exam typically ranges from 15-30 minutes. The cost for a specific exam based on the 2016 fee guide is $133, but can often be reduced depending on the situation and the amount of time involved for the Dentist.

Recall Exam

The recall exam or “check up” as most people call it, is an examination done to an existing patient. An exam can be given to a new patient who recently had a complete exam at another Dental Office. A Recall exam is usually a quick exam to assess any previous areas of concern and give a visual inspection to evaluate any changes (good or bad) in the teeth, gums and mouth. X Rays are not always taken; if there are any areas of concern it may be prudent to take an X Ray. This examination is usually done when you come to the Dental Office for a cleaning by the Hygienist or Dentist. The recall examination findings are documented in the patients chart. Any treatment suggested or required should be presented and given to the patient in the form of a treatment plan. Recall exams are quick, usually 5-10 minutes. The cost for a recall exam based on the 2016 fee guide is $33 and usually doesn’t vary.

Emergency Exam

This is an exam when you need to be seen by your Dentist urgently. Sometimes the Office will re-arrange the schedule to accommodate emergencies. Emergency exams can be for all types of reasons. Strong pain, sudden pain, fracture of restored tooth, chipped tooth. Someone can have an orthodontic bracket digging into their cheek and that is certainly an emergency for that person. X Rays are often needed to know what is going on under the gum. Life threatening emergencies such as bleeding that won’t stop, unbearable pain, trauma situation need to be taken to a hospital. An emergency exam can range from 10 to 20 minutes usually and treatment often follows or medication is prescribed. The cost for an emergency exam based on the 2016 fee guide is $133, but often is reduced depending on the situation and the amount of time involved for the Dentist.