At Essential Dental Golden Grove we like to make your dental visits as friendly and relaxed as possible. We also understand that being informed is important. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions patients have about dentistry and oral health issues. If you have any other questions, or would like to schedule an appointment, we would love to hear from you.
Click on a question below to see the answer.
There is very little risk in dental X-rays. We are especially careful to limit the amount of radiation to which children are exposed.
Some patients require more X-rays than others. Most dental disease does not cause pain until it’s often, too late. Sometimes decay can get under fillings or crowns and may not be seen by the naked eye, or even cause pain. This is why X-rays provide an important part in diagnosing decay, enabling us to create a treatment plan, giving you the best options for your teeth. X-rays should be updated every 18 months to 2 years.
Ideally, brushing your teeth every morning and night is good oral hygiene practice. It reduces the amount of plaque, which, if not removed can cause decay or even gum disease. Because it is impossible to remove plaque solely by brushing, we recommend flossing between teeth daily.
Essential Dental are proud of our fees and know that they are fair compensation for the quality of the services provided to our patients and represent excellent value for you dental dollar.
However when it comes to costs of any sort, none of us like surprises. We will inform you in advance of any treatment what your dental fees will be and will provide the necessary item numbers for the services so that you can check your entitlements with your dental insurer.
We will prioritise your treatment based on your needs and budget. We work at your pace and level of affordability; we will be guided by you.
To make payments as convenient as possible we offer several payment methods. We have facilities that allow you to settle your account with most credit and debit cards including EFTPOS and of course cash or cheque.
At Essential Dental we see all patients on an appointment basis and ask that you call in advance so that we may reserve time for you. We respect your time and make every effort to remain on schedule and ask that you extend the same courtesy to us. If you are unable to keep an appointment, please notify us immediately.
We appreciate 48-hours notice so that this time may be given to another patient. Appointments cancelled or broken without 24-hour notice will be subject to a $50 cancellation fee.
Yes. At Essential Dental, we provide our patients with a friendly reminder the day before their appointment. We understand that some of our patients prefer not to be interrupted, so we can arrange to send you a reminder via email or SMS to your mobile phone. Just let one of our friendly staff members at Essential Dental know your preference.
Yes, at Essential Dental, Golden Grove new patients are always welcome. Our entire team is proud to be able to share with you our passion in providing our exceptional level of health care.
The best complement our existing patients provide us with regularly is a referral of a family member or friend. If you have been referred by an existing patient, then please let us know so that we can be sure to thank them.
The starting point to the finest dental care at Essential Dental is a comprehensive and thorough examination. Essential Dental offer a complete detailed examination for all our patients to enable them to make informed decisions.
This involves more than just looking at the teeth. We examine all the hard and soft tissues of the head and neck, the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) and perform an oral cancer check routinely. We utilise the most modern and up-to-date equipment to help us accomplish this thorough examination.
A comprehensive examination establishes a baseline of where you are with your oral health. If there is a progression of disease, we can monitor it and minimise or avoid major problems occurring. We can present you with a dental health plan to meet your immediate and future needs, making sure you are fully aware of all the options available to you. We will support any option you choose as long as you are fully aware of the likely outcome of that choice.
Dental disease can be totally painless; it usually is only when it has reached an advanced stage that you notice there is something wrong. Just because you don’t feel pain, does not mean you are dentally healthy. A comprehensive examination will establish accurately, allowing you to repair problems sooner rather than later, as opposed to being too late.
At Essential Dental we believe that regular dental care works out far cheaper and easier in the long run. It is far healthier and cheaper overtime to maintain your teeth and gums and prevent the causes of tooth loss than it is to neglect your teeth and suffer pain and eventually undergo costly repairs down the road to restore your dental health.
We recommend you bring your child into Essential Dental, Golden Grove for a checkup after their third birthday. This visit will be helpful because the dentist will be able to explain prevention of ECC (Early Childhood Caries (tooth decay or cavities). Then have a check-up according to your dentist’s recommendation, which is typically every six to twelve months.
Children who have regular check-ups and are comfortable with visiting the dentist have fewer dental problems. They are less likely to be afraid of dental treatments.
During each check-up, the our dentist may assess your child’s risk of dental problems such as decay or crooked teeth, professionally clean your child’s teeth, apply a fluoride treatment, give suggestions on managing any dental health problems and preventing decay, take diagnostic X-ray film, refer your child to other dental specialists (such as a pediatric dentist or orthodontist.)
