What Happens During A Routine Dental Checkup?: Say Hello To Your Receptionist

I’m a Patient
Dental Health Dental Services
Patient Education
What Happens
During a
Routine Dental
Checkup?
What happens during a typical checkup?

Well, let us tell you all about it!
According to the Canadian Dental

Association, about 80% of Canadians visit
their dentist at least once each year for a
regular dental checkup. However many
people have little to no idea what is
actually happening in their mouth while
they’re in the dental chair.
Hearing strange noises and having

someone work inside your mouth can
understandably cause a lot of stress and
anxiety. But not to worry, we’re here to tell
you exactly what will be going on from
start to !nish the next time you visit your
dentist for a routine checkup. After all, the
more you know about something, the less
scary it seems!
Say hello to your

receptionist
Bentall Dental is one of the many

123 Dentist member clinics that
provide a warm welcome to all
their patients.
The !rst person you’ll meet during your
dental appointment is the receptionist.
They make things "ow smoothly around
the office, coordinate payments and
appointments, and give you your
noti!cations for when you’re supposed to
come in next. We have a lot of love for the
dental receptionists of the world.
Now to meet your

Hygienist or
Certi!ed Dental
Assistant (CDA)
South Point Dental Hygienists
Our friendly hygienists at South

Point Dental, a 123 Dentist
member clinic.
The next person you’ll meet after checking
in for your dental appointment, and the
person you’ll spend the most time with, is
your dental hygienist, or perhaps a CDA. It
can vary whether your appointment will
involve a CDA or a hygienist, but there is a
notable difference between the two.
Hygienists are trained dental professionals

who take care of routine dental care, such
as regular cleanings, and assist dentists in
other procedures. They are an integral part
of any dental practice and make up a big
part of the team that works to keep your
oral health at its best.
CDAs don’t do as much of the nitty gritty

cleaning work that hygienists do, but they
provide excellent help with the preparation
work and with assisting dentists during
procedures.
You can think of both of these roles as the

truly unsung heroes of a dental practice!
Your history
patient meeting dentist
Before anything is done inside your mouth

your hygienist will need to know about
your medical history if this is your !rst
appointment at the dental practice or, if
you have been to the practice before, any
changes in your health
such as new medications, diabetes,
arthritis, pregnancy, etc. It is important that
your dental care team knows about any
health concerns, anxieties, or allergies you
may have in order to avoid incident and to
make sure you get the kind of care you
need.
And when we say that we want you to tell

us about any concerns or anxieties you
have, we mean it! Don’t be a hero and try
to be brave – it’s VERY common to be afraid
of the dentist. Sometimes, all a person
needs is a little explanation or a little
listening to their fears to make things seem
a little better.
Teeth cleaning
Now that you
have shared your
health concerns,
they can start
working inside
your mouth. The
!rst thing they
will do is give
your teeth a
thorough A patient having
cleaning. They their teeth cleaned
start by scraping at Willowbrook
off built up Park Dental, a
plaque and tartar member 123
that collects Dentist clinic.
above and below the gum line before
"ossing between and around every tooth
to remove any plaque or food particles that
are clinging on.
They will also give your teeth a smooth and

shiny !nish using a tooth polisher with a
spinning head and slightly abrasive paste.
The polishing will get rid of any residue
that was previously missed and will make
your teeth smoother so that plaque will not
collect as easily on them between visits to
the dentist.
Examining the
teeth
Now that your pearly whites are squeaky
clean, it’s time to have a look at any
problem areas in your mouth. A metal
probe with a small angled mirror will be
used, which will help them see behind and
between teeth and gums, as well as check
for the softening of tooth enamel and
dentin.
They will also be on the lookout for the

swelling of gums in any areas, mouth sores,
and redness. Finally, they will measure your
mouth’s periodontal pockets, which are the
spaces between the top of the gum line
and where the gum tissues !rmly attaches
to the tooth. Ideally, this pocket should
only be between one and three millimeters
deep, however deeper pockets can be a
sign of gum disease and thus should be
closely monitored.
Dental x-rays
Dr. Shirzad from Harbour Centre

Dental going through an xray with
a patient.
The last thing to do is take x-ray pictures of
your mouth so the dentist can see if there
are any issues below the mouth’s surface.
This involves biting down on a piece of
specially designed plastic while an x-ray
imaging machine is placed against your
cheek. The resulting image will show the
visible parts of your teeth as well as the
roots below the gum line and your jaw
bones, allowing your dentist to see exactly
what is happening in your mouth and
assign your oral care as needed.
We want to mention here that 123 Dentist

only recommends digital x-rays, which emit
up to 90% less radiation, allow for easy
storage, and take less time than traditional
machines – which means shorter, more
convenient, and safer visits for you!
Dental exam
The dental exam is different from the initial
examination that your hygienist completed
as this one is done by your dentist. They
will use your dental x-rays to see if there is
any loss of bone, fractures, or any other
abnormality below your visible gum line
before moving on to look for issues with
jaw alignment, teeth grinding, and oral
cancer.
Dr. Ezzati at Olympic Village Dental

is thorough in his dental exams for
all patients.
Generally, your dentist will feel your jaw

bones from outside of your mouth while
you bite down to ensure that your bite is
smooth, aligned, and there is no clicking or
popping from your jaw joints. They will also
inspect the grooves of your teeth to see if
any of them have been cracked or
smoothed down due to grinding or jaw
clenching. Finally, your dentist will gently
feel behind your jaw and your neck to see if
there are any signs of oral cancer.
Once all of this is done, your dentist should

have a full understanding of what your oral
health needs are, and will be able to
prescribe any necessary treatments to
prevent or treat your issues.
Results and advice
After the dental exam is complete, your

dentist will let you know exactly what is
going on in your mouth and will advise you
about next steps. Sometimes this involves
scheduling another dental appointment
for a procedure while other times your
dentist will give you advice about what you
can do at home to better your oral health.
It is extremely important that you listen to
this advice and put it into action as best
you can to ensure that your next checkup
is the best it can be.
Future
appointments
The !nal step of the routine dental
checkup is scheduling your next one for a
date six months in the future. Scheduling
your next appointment right away is the
easiest and most effective way to ensure
that you don’t forget to have your dental
checkup regularly. Even if you are diligent
in your personal dental care, there is no
better protection against oral issues than
having your mouth professionally cleaned
and monitored.
A friendly receptionist, like Cathy

from Willowbrook Park Dental, will
be happy to make your next
appointment!
Take a trip to the front desk and once again

you’ll be helped out by a smiling and
attentive receptionist. And, as always, if you
have any questions or concerns about any
part of your visit or your upcoming
scheduled visits, make sure to let them
know. Trust us, they don’t bite. We’re very
strict about that sort of thing.
To !nd a dentist near you that best suits

your needs, check out 123Dentist.com and
schedule your next checkup today!
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I’m a Patient

Dental Health Dental Services

What happens during a typical checkup?

According to the Canadian Dental

Hearing strange noises and having

Say hello to your

Bentall Dental is one of the many

Now to meet your

Our friendly hygienists at South

Hygienists are trained dental professionals

CDAs don’t do as much of the nitty gritty

You can think of both of these roles as the

Before anything is done inside your mouth

And when we say that we want you to tell

They will also give your teeth a smooth and

They will also be on the lookout for the

Dr. Shirzad from Harbour Centre

We want to mention here that 123 Dentist

Dr. Ezzati at Olympic Village Dental

Generally, your dentist will feel your jaw

Once all of this is done, your dentist should

Results and advice

After the dental exam is complete, your

A friendly receptionist, like Cathy

Take a trip to the front desk and once again

To !nd a dentist near you that best suits

More headlines you might

Find a 123Dentist Clinic

Join Our Insiders List

Privacy and Security

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