What should I expect during my first appointment at Cannon Hill Smiles ?
The services provided at Cannon Hill Smiles during your first visit are determined by your oral needs. If you have booked in for urgent treatment or a toothache, our aim is to get you out of pain as soon as possible and as such, we will provide the necessary treatment to accomplish this.
If you have booked in for a general check up and clean, your first appointment will usually involve a thorough examination of your mouth, gums and teeth. With your consent, dental x-rays will be taken to help the dentist diagnose any issues and a thorough clean may be performed to maintain optimal oral health of your teeth and gums.
At Cannon Hill Smiles, we are committed to helping you improve your oral health and smile in a calm and pain-free environment. If further treatment is required, our friendly team will discuss all of your options with you and the associated costs in a manner that is easy to understand. It is important to us that you feel comfortable throughout all stages of your treatment, so feel free to ask our friendly staff and dentists any questions that will help you feel at ease.
I have a toothache, what should I do?
At Cannon Hill Smiles we have daily appointment slots available for patients experiencing toothache. We consider toothaches to be a matter of priority, and you should contact Cannon Hill Smiles as soon as possible to schedule an appointment with one of our friendly dentists.
Prior to your appointment, you should rinse your mouth with warm salty water and floss between your teeth to remove any trapped food. This will keep the cavity as clean as possible from debris and bacteria. If pain relief is required, please follow the directions given on the medication.
Over the counter pain relief will often reduce any discomfort, however this will be short term, as it won’t treat the cause of the pain.
If it is outside our opening hours, still call Cannon Hill Smiles and leave a message on our after hours messaging service. Please leave us with your full name (first and last), best contact phone number and a brief description of the reason for your call. Our friendly staff will call you back at the start of the following day, and find you an appointment as a matter of priority. Often, this will be on the same day.
How often should I have a check up and clean?
Early detection and treatment of dental issues is key to a healthy smile. While this time period can vary from person to person, the Cannon Hill Smiles team generally recommends a comprehensive oral examination and clean every six months. This is also as per recommendation by the Australian Dental Association.
By coming in for regular six monthly check up and cleans, the friendly team at Cannon Hill Smiles can assist in removing dental plaque (bacteria), one of the main factors behind dental decay and gum disease. They can also assess any potential problems which, when diagnosed early can minimise the need for lengthy and costly treatment. As with all health issues, prevention is better than cure, and this extends to your mouth too.
But I haven’t experienced any pain. Do I still need to see the dentist every six months?
Dental decay and gum problems often don’t cause pain. You might already have a decayed tooth or active gum disease without any symptoms at all. In fact, a lot of Australians have mouth issues and are unaware of them until they see a dentist, or the problems start causing them pain. Furthermore, when you do start experiencing pain, it might be too late to treat the problem in a simple and cost effective manner.
Cannon Hill Smiles offers many different methods to help you remember your dental appointments. We can schedule your recall appointments six months in advance, or send you an email, text or even give you a phone call to remind you of your appointments. Just let us know what your preferred method of contact is, and we can assist you in maintaining your oral health.
I want to come to the dentist, but I am concerned about how much it will cost my family.
For adults, we offer dental financing through National Dental Plan, allowing you to have your dental issues fixed in a timely manner without having to worry about upfront payments.
Please visit our “Free Kids Dental” and “Payment Plans” pages for more information.
Does your surgery accept my health fund?
Cannon Hill Smiles accepts all major health funds through our HICAPS terminal. This means on the spot claims, and eliminates the need to send in claims manually and wait for your rebates to be reimbursed. If there is to be a small gap payment from your treatment, this can be finalized via cash, cheque, EFTPOS debit or credit card.
When should children start seeing a Dentist?
At Cannon Hill Smiles, we suggest you start bringing your child in for a check up from the age of 3. By this age, most children have all of their baby or milk teeth, and these teeth, like adult teeth, are susceptible to decay.
Usually, this first appointment will be for a quick ride in the dental chair and if willing, a quick look in their mouth with a dental mirror. This initial quick appointment helps your child become familiar with the sights, sounds and smells at the dentist, and well as meet our friendly team. With this approach, future appointments won’t be as daunting.
Prevention is better than cure, and often, a lost or removed baby tooth can result in spacing issues for adult teeth in the future.
What happens if I’m early for my appointment?
Feel free to relax in our air-conditioned patient lounge with Foxtel and reading material! There’s cold water available, and our friendly staff are often up for a bit of a chat if you are too!
What happens if I can’t make my appointment?
Life gets busy and we understand that at times, appointments can’t be kept. However, we do ask that you call us to give us as much notice (preferably 24 hours) as possible so we can accommodate other patient’s needs. Calling us will also allow our receptionists to reschedule your appointment to a more appropriate time, so we can continue caring for your oral health.
I haven’t been to the dentist in a long time and I am terrified. Can you still help me?
At Cannon Hill Smiles, we treat all patients as part of our family! Of course we can help you, no matter how scared you may be.
Often, a past experience or the “fear of the unknown” is the most daunting factor, so feel free to book in for a consultation and tell our team why you are scared, and what we can do to help make your experience a pleasant one.
The more you tell our team, the more we can ensure that your dental visits with us will always be positive!
Our goal as a practice is to always treat patients in a kind, caring and compassionate manner.