Cleanings and exams
The same hygienist, every six months, at 7:00 if you want it.
A cleaning is the visit most of your family will have most often, so it is the one we built the practice around: the same person every time, an early start, and a clear line between what is routine and what needs an estimate.
Jenna Thibodeau has led hygiene here since 2012.
- Your family assigned to a hygienist by name
- 7:00 appointments, so the kids are at school and you are at work on time
- Exam, cleaning, gum check and X-rays only when they are due
- Sealants and fluoride for children, explained once
- Anything found beyond the cleaning gets a written estimate, not a chairside sale
Or call (207) 555-0164 Monday to Thursday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, Friday 7:00 am to 1:00 pm
What a visit includes
About fifty minutes, and here is where they go.
| Part of the visit | What happens | How often |
|---|---|---|
| The gum check | Your hygienist measures the pockets around each tooth with a small probe. The numbers tell us about gum health over time. | Every visit |
| The cleaning | Plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) removed above and just below the gum line, then polished. Sensitive teeth get a slower pace and a numbing gel if you want it. | Every six months, more often if gums need it |
| X-rays | A small set of digital X-rays to see between and under the teeth. Not every visit. | Usually once a year, or as the dentist advises |
| The exam | Dr. Marsh or Dr. Pelletier checks every tooth, the gums, the bite and the soft tissue of the mouth, and shows you what they see. | Every visit |
| Fluoride and sealants | A mineral varnish for children and adults with sensitivity or a history of decay; sealants on children's first adult molars. | As recommended, priced in writing |
| Mouthguards | Custom sports mouthguards made from an impression taken at the visit. | When needed |
Why the same hygienist
The person who knows your teeth is the person who notices a change.
A hygienist who saw you in March knows what your gums measured, which tooth was sensitive, and which child needs the mirror explained before the brush. That is why your family is assigned to one person by name, and why the schedule is built around keeping it that way.
If your hygienist is away, Naomi offers a later date or a named colleague. You are never handed to whoever is free.
Jenna leads the hygiene team and still sees most of the families who started with the practice in 2012.
When a cleaning becomes something else
The line between routine and an estimate.
Routine is the visit you booked
The gum check, the cleaning, X-rays when due, fluoride and the exam are the hygiene visit. You know what it costs before you come.
Anything else gets a written estimate
If the exam finds a cavity, a cracked filling or gum pockets that need deeper cleaning, you get a written estimate before you leave. Nothing is added to the visit while you are in the chair.
Deeper cleaning is explained, not assumed
Gum disease treatment (a deeper cleaning below the gum line, sometimes called scaling and root planing) is a separate, estimated visit with a plain explanation of why.
What can wait is written down too
A small spot we want to watch is listed on the estimate as something to check at the next cleaning, with what would change our mind.
Want the 7:00 slot with Jenna for the whole family? Those go first. Call and Naomi will tell you what is open this month.
(207) 555-0164Monday to Thursday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, Friday 7:00 am to 1:00 pm
How often should we come for a cleaning?
Every six months for most people. Some adults with gum disease are seen every three or four months; the hygienist will say so and explain why. Children follow the same six-month rhythm once cleanings start.
Will I always see the same hygienist?
That is the plan, and the schedule is built around it. If your hygienist is away you are offered a later date or a named colleague, never whoever is free.
Do I need X-rays every visit?
No. Most adults have a small set about once a year. Children and people with a history of decay may need them more often; the dentist decides case by case and tells you why.
Does a cleaning hurt?
Most people find it uncomfortable at worst, and it is easier when the gums are healthy. Sensitive teeth get a slower pace and a numbing gel on request. Tell your hygienist; she adjusts.
Can the whole family come at once?
Yes. The Family Block books the household back to back in neighbouring rooms, usually with the same hygienist moving between them, and one check-in.
Next step
Six months from now you will be glad you booked today.
Naomi replies within one business day with mornings that put the whole family with the same hygienist.
or call (207) 555-0164
Monday to Thursday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, Friday 7:00 am to 1:00 pm