What to Expect During Your First Visit

s-perfectSmile3Thank you for choosing our office for all your periodontal needs. We have created a comfortable environment where you can feel confident in the level of dental care you receive.

During your first visit, our objective is to get to know you better, to become familiar with your past dental experiences and to establish a treatment plan that will best meet your current desires. When you arrive for your first visit, please be prepared to complete all insurance and health information forms.

If you have dental insurance, please bring your insurance card. This will enable us to give you an estimate of your costs.

Comprehensive Periodontal Exam

Your initial exam will generally last from 30 minutes to an hour. Dr. Humphreys or Dr. Galloway will thoroughly examine your teeth and gums. They will provide an evaluation outlining your periodontal condition, and then present the best treatment method for your case. We encourage you to ask questions. We will be glad to discuss any concerns you may have with you and your referring dentist.

Open Communication

Dr. Humphrey's and Dr. Galloway promise to speak candidly with you about any diagnosis and recommendations, any alternative treatments, and any symptoms present that may require further treatment. 

We are glad you chose our office and hope to communicate that to you and your family in all we say and do. We are committed to making your visit with us as comfortable as possible. Our personable team is available to answer any questions and provide for your continued comfort.

Patient Comfort

We offer several sedation options to make your experience as pleasant as possible. Both Dr. Humphreys and Dr. Galloway are qualified to provide local and intravenous sedation as well as nitrous oxide and any necessary oral sedatives.

During procedures, please feel free to bring your headphones to listen to your choice of music. 

A variety of beverages are offered in our reception area: different flavored coffees, hot cider, tea, and hot chocolate are just a few of our many selections. We have chilled bottled water available along with various current newspapers and magazines for you to enjoy. We also offer complimentary Wi-Fi for your convenience.

Patient Protection and Safety

In our office, your safety is our highest priority. Throughout the day, we continuously and thoroughly sterilize our equipment and instruments for your protection. Our protocol for sterilization includes the following:

Before and after each patient appointment, all treatment surfaces (e.g., countertops, chair surfaces, lights, x-ray machines, and trays) are disinfected with the most effective and safest products available.

To ensure your safety, we follow a number of standard sterilization procedures with all instruments and handpieces. First, they are brought into our sterilization room and placed in an ultrasonic cleaner to remove even microscopic debris. The instruments are then rinsed thoroughly before being sterilized in an autoclave, which destroys all bacteria and all viruses.

Our sterilization machines are monitored regularly to ensure their efficiency and safety.

Team members use masks, safety glasses, and new gloves for each patient.

All team members are updated annually in proper patient protection procedures and have been vaccinated against the Hepatitis-B virus.

Dr. Humphreys and Dr. Galloway will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding patient protection and we can give you a personal tour of our sterilization facility.

Heart Monitor

We use heart monitors to ensure your safety and well-being during all surgical procedures. Dr. Humphreys, Dr. Galloway and our team realize that the key component of any thorough periodontal appointment is patient assessment. While there are several tools used for conducting screenings and examinations for oral health, other aspects of patient health that may be related to dental heath are often overlooked. A patient’s blood pressure is one of these parameters. Appropriate monitoring of blood pressure cannot only improve outcomes of dental care but also play a role in improving the overall health of patients.

Intravenous (IV) Sedation

Dr. Humphreys and Dr. Galloway have undergone rigorous specialized training before administering intravenous sedation. Their experience and expert knowledge of the physical and pharmacokinetic properties of sedative drugs and their effects is a critical factor for ensuring IV sedation safety. Therefore, Dr. Humphreys and Dr. Galloway have both received special accreditation and licensing necessary to practice IV sedation dentistry including official training in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). Dr. Humphreys and Dr. Galloway’s team members have also undergone extensive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training.

Continuous monitoring of the patient throughout the IV sedation procedure is a crucial factor for safety. We monitor heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure, and oxygen and CO2 levels.

The strict regulations on the use of IV sedation dentistry and the advanced training and licensing requirements for Dr. Humphreys and Dr. Galloway have helped IV sedation to have an excellent safety record.