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First Appointment

New Patient Medical History Form Download

To save time at your first appointment with us, please consider downloading and filling out our medical history form from home.

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What to Expect at Your First Appointment

At Dr Bo Jiang & Associates, you are our first priority. We can understand and appreciate that many people are uneasy when visiting the dentist therefore we would like to ensure your first visit is a comfortable and rewarding experience. We ask that if you are overly anxious about dental treatment to openly discuss this with your dentist so that we may understand and best cater to your personal requirements.

 

At your first visit we ask that you bring along:

  • Any existing dental x-rays

  • List of medications you are currently taking

  • If a member, your private health fund card

  • If applicable, Queensland Health dental voucher and supporting ID documents

 

Please arrive in advance for your first appointment so that you have time to fill our new patient medical-dental history form. Although we will try our best not to, please also be understanding should the dentist run late as this is not always in our control.

 

The first visit helps us to get to know you and vice versa. This will last about 40 minutes depending on your personal needs. After completing any required paperwork we will invite you into one of our clinical rooms.

 

The comprehensive dental exam (check-up) usually includes:

  • Medical history check

  • Interview to understand your personal wishes and assess your dental health risks

  • Examination of the TMJ (jaw joints)

  • Examination of soft tissues of the mouth (lips, gums, cheeks and tongue) for gum disease, oral cancer screening or other abnormalities

  • A charting and examination of the teeth to identify existing fillings and decay

  • Two "bitewing" x-rays to visualise in between teeth and check for decay under old fillings

  • Sometimes an OPG (full mouth x-ray) or further tests or scans are required and will be discussed with you at the time

 

Most patients also elect to have their teeth cleaned. Even though we clean our teeth every day, it is normal to have a build up of calculus (tartar/scale) over time which irritates the gums and cannot be removed through normal toothbrushing or flossing. If it has been quite some time in between your previous dental cleaning, there could be calculus stuck underneath the gums which can be uncomfortable to fully remove. Sometimes this calculus build up can be so severe that we may require subsequent visits to clean thoroughly. There are also times where a general clean may not be advised where there is active gum disease. We use an ultrasonic scaler to gently remove tartar and plaque before polishing the teeth to remove stain buildup. A fluoride treatment is then applied to strengthen tooth enamel and reduce sensitivity.

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Following this, your dentist will provide you with an overview of your current dental health and advise you on additional investigations or provide suggestions for any further treatment, if required. An estimate of the costs and time involved will be provided for you as well as an opportunity to discuss your options including possible risks and outcomes. We will try our best to stick to the plan, although please understand that sometimes the it would be out of our control as situations may change in the mouth over time.

Emergency Appointments

Emergency Appointments

The difference in an emergency dental visit to a regular check up is that your dentist will only focus on the most pressing concern you present with. It is recommended, however, up to you if you would like to come back at a later stage after the aversion of the emergency to have a comprehensive dental examination to ensure your mouth is looked after as a whole.

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In general we would expect to have a chat about the problem first, following this our dentist will usually have a look and do what is required in order to form a diagnosis. An x-ray will commonly be taken at this stage. Once a diagnosis is reached, we will inform you of what is happening, what your options are (including referral to a specialist) and the general timeframes and costs. If time allows, then the treatment may be carried out then and there.

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Please inform us at the time of booking, if you feel like you would only require the time for a consultation and diagnosis as opposed to also having the treatment. That way our time can be better utilised for our other patients.

Parents & Children

Parents & Children

A Child's first visit to the dentist
We are very happy to see our successors growing up smiling and welcome them to the clinic. Unfortunately, it is common to see young children having dental anxiety before they even reach dental chair. Sometimes it is best for parents not to describe the dental visit in too much detail, rather leave this to us. Praise and rewards are the best thing, words and phrases such as "pain", "it won't hurt", "needle" should be avoided! We also want to normalise visiting the dentist, so it is better to not have to "be brave" to go on the dental chair. Sometimes we may refer your child to a dental paediatric specialist, when our dentists believe it is in the best interests of your child.

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When should we bring our children to the dentist?

It is ideal to bring your children to the dentist for the first time when they have a complete set of baby teeth (10 upper and 10 lower teeth) to ensure normal dental development. This would usually be between the ages of 2-3 years. If appropriate, the younger child can be brought along when their elder sibling (or even a parent) can act as a role model on the dental chair. This can also familiarise them with the dental clinic and we can work on their confidence and co-operation over time.

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Our goals and priorities

We understand that children are naturally stressed and anxious in an unfamiliar environment. Our priority will be to make sure they have a positive experience. We ask for your help as well, to kindly remain calm and confident in when in the clinic room in their presence. Children generally will not be able to tolerate long appointments, therefore we try to complete their treatment in multiple shortened visits. If possible, try to bring your child at a certain time of day when they are most cooperative.

Expecting Mothers

Expecting Mothers

At the moment, evidence suggests that there is no reason for an expecting mother to delay routine or necessary dental treatment. Modern digital dental x-ray units deliver very low amounts of radiation and if necessary for treatment it should still be taken. However, we would still like to be careful and avoid extensive dental treatment until after the delivery. Ideally, good dental health as well as overall health should be achieved prior plans to have a child.

 

Occasionally expecting mothers may experience morning sickness or specific triggers for nausea. Please let us know if there are any dental related triggers. It is most important to rinse the mouth with water to wash away the acids and not brush the teeth immediately after an episode of vomiting. Another common sight during pregnancy are puffy gums which easily bleed. This is the exaggerated reaction the body has to dental plaque and it occurs due to the change in hormone levels. Should this occur, please continue exercising good oral hygiene routines and it should resolve after pregnancy. Lastly, food cravings and frequent snacking increases the amounts of sugar levels in the mouth to heighten the risk of tooth decay. If possible, avoid food that have high sugar/sticky/acidic content and try to minimise the frequency of eating.

 

Myth: Babies suck up the calcium from their mothers' teeth. This cannot happen as the mother's adult teeth finish developing prior to the age of pregnancy, therefore any deficencies of calcium no longer affects the teeth as they have already formed. If you feel that your teeth have gotten worse during pregnancy, please give us a call, this could be due to the change in diet, oral hygiene and lifestyle that comes with being a busy mother.

Existing Patients

Existing Patients

If you are a regular patient and your personal details have changed since your last visit, please let us know when you walk in or contact us by phone.

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If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact us at any of our clinics here.

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