In addition to daily brushing and flossing, you can help protect your oral health by seeing Dr. Doodes and his dental team regularly for checkups. The American Dental Association recommends that most patients have a dental checkup every six months, however, we may recommend more frequent or fewer visits depending on your dental health history.  In most cases a dental checkup typically involves:

A Clinical Examination which will be conducted by both your Dental Hygienist and Dr. Doodes.  They will examine your teeth, gums, mouth, throat and neck to look for changes or signs of a problem.  This includes a Periodontal Screening (to check for gum disease) and an Oral Cancer Exam (to check for early signs of oral cancer).  Your Hygienist will use a special probe to measure the "pockets" between your teeth and gums, an explorer to "poke" at your teeth to determine if any cavities are present and a mouth mirror to obtain a better view of the sides and backs of your teeth.  Both your Hygienist and Dr. Doodes will "pull" at your cheeks, lips and tongue to check for "lumps and bumps" and changes in the tissues that might signal early problems.  They will "massage" your neck and jaw joint also to look for tissue/functional changes.  Most dental hard and soft tissue problems can be easily addressed if found early enough.  When combined with other aspects of your Dental Checkup, you and your dental team will be able to make appropriate future dental appointments, whether in our office and/or with one of our dental specialists, to meet your treatment needs.

A Cleaning and Polishing which is done by one of our Dental Hygienists who will use special instruments, such as hand scalers and/or an ultrasonic dental device to scrape and remove the calculus (tartar) from your teeth.  She then polishes your teeth, typically with a rotating rubber cup or brush, to remove any remaining plaque or stains.  Should you find yourself "dreading" this part of the dental visit due to any reason such as sensitivity or noise, please make us aware of this concern and we will work with you to minimize this problem. Education is ongoing and important. Both during and after the cleaning, our Hygienist will discuss any oral health problems that were detected and show you how to manage your dental care more effectively.  Dr. Doodes will also provide his observations, insights and recommendations based on both the Hygienist findings and his own clinical examination.  You will be sent home with a "goodie bag" of products to help you meet the goals set by your Hygienist to improve your overall oral health.

Digital X-rays which provide the best view of what is really going on with your teeth.  At some of your dental visits, Dr. Doodes may recommend that you have x-rays taken of some or all of your teeth to look for decay, gum disease, or other dental problems.    With the current digital technology we have in our office, you are exposed to minimal radiation.  Digital x-rays allow us to check those hidden places in between your teeth or at the roots of your teeth that might be showing early signs of decay or abscess. Generally speaking, whatever we see on an x-ray is 20% worse in the mouth and often-times presents with no clinical symptoms. 

Digital Intra-Oral Photographs  which provide a visual method by which you and your dental team can make sound decisions regarding your dental health.  No longer do you need to "trust" us to do what is right or rely on a hand mirror to "see" the problem.  When the photograph is displayed on our large monitor screen, you effectively become part of the dental team in making decisions regarding your oral care.  All the information you need is promptly and easily displayed for you to see.  We encourage active participation in the decision-making process and know you will be more comfortable in choosing the care that is right for you.  

Education which is ongoing and important for optimal dental health throughout your lifetime.  Your needs will change as you age and as your teeth and gums experience stresses from day to day living.  Both during and after the cleaning, our Hygienist will discuss any oral health problems that were detected and show you how to manage your dental care more effectively.  Dr. Doodes will also provide his observations, insights and recommendations based on both the Hygienist findings and his own clinical examination.