As your Barrington, Portsmouth and Bristol, RI orthodontist, I am always very excited to meet new patients for their first visit. When you arrive for your first Invisalign or braces visit, we will welcome you and help you get acquainted with our beautiful office and terrific staff.
We also want to get to know more about you and any specific orthodontic goals you may have. During this visit, we encourage you to share any concerns you may have, and ask as many questions as you wish – after all, this is your smile we are talking about!
You should plan to spend at least an hour with us during your first orthodontic visit. We don’t want to rush anything during this important first meeting, ensuring that you get plenty of time to ask any questions you may have and establish a sense of comfort.
When you first arrive, you will meet one of our patient coordinators, Joyce or Cindy, who will take some information from you and bring you through the office for a quick tour. After this tour, it’s time for some diagnostic work and an orthodontic exam.
The major goal of our job today is to determine what treatment is necessary to correct any orthodontic problems we may find — and whether we should begin immediately or wait until a later date to begin treatment. The Exam will work like this:
Your exam with Dr. Jaffe will proceed as follows:
After the exam, Dr. Jaffe will have an important conversation with the patient and his or her parents or guardians to inform them of the findings. We may tell you that things are just fine and to keep up the great dental hygiene. On the other hand, we may recommend treatment. Orthodontic treatment might begin right away, or at a later time, depending on the developmental stage of the teeth and jaws. Many times, we’ll advise you to return for a periodic checkup, until we determine that it’s the best time to start.
If it is determined that the patient is ready to start treatment, Dr. Jaffe will describe to you all of the orthodontic problems and will explain how the recommended treatment will solve those problems. Dr. Jaffe will describe the plan of treatment in detail, including the specific braces, Invisalign aligners or appliances to be used and the estimated length of treatment.
Following Dr. Jaffe’s discussion of the orthodontic treatment, Joyce or Cindy will review office policy, and of course, review exact cost, along with our flexible financial arrangements. To assist us in making your first visit as efficient as possible, please be sure to bring a copy of your dental insurance card so that we can help you to determine your orthodontic benefits accurately.
We understand that for some patients, both children and adults, the first visit to the orthodontist can be a little stressful. Our goal during this visit is to give you as much information as possible and also to get to know you. We really want you to relax, learn as much about the process as possible, and enjoy getting to know us as much as we will enjoy getting to know you. Remember, we are local people just like you, so just think of us as your neighbors and friends who just happen to be your Barrington, Portsmouth and Bristol orthodontic specialists.
If you or your children are ready to embark on orthodontic treatment, or have any questions about orthodontics, don’t hesitate to contact us today. We are always here to help our community in any way we can to achieve their best smiles.