Dental resources · New patients
Haven't seen a dentist in years?
If it has been a few years, or a decade, since your last dental visit, you already know the two thoughts that show up first. Am I going to be judged, and how bad is it going to be? Both are worth answering plainly.
Reviewed by Dr. Anthony J. D'Addio, DMD
Most people who come back after years away are surprised by how ordinary the first visit is. It is a conversation and an exam. The plan comes later.
6 min read
The short answer.
The first visit after time away is not a lecture and it is not the day everything gets fixed. It is a conversation about what has changed for you, a careful look, sometimes X-rays where they add useful information, and a written plan you can decide about at your own pace.
Nothing about the visit is designed to embarrass you. If you feel like the office is treating time away as a moral failing, that is the wrong office.
Why people stay away, said honestly.
Time away from the dentist usually has a real reason. Cost. Fear. A bad experience. A move, a job change, or losing insurance. A pandemic. A rough couple of years where dental care was not the thing that mattered most. Any of those is a fine explanation. None of them changes what happens at the visit.
The other truth: the longer someone stays away, the more they assume the news is going to be worse than it is. Sometimes it is worse. Often it is not. Either way, the news becomes manageable once it is specific.
What happens at the first visit.
- The phone call. A short conversation with the front desk sets the visit type and lets you ask about insurance, forms, or anything you would rather know before you arrive.
- Forms and history. Dental Intel forms come to your phone or email so you can fill them out on your own time. Include current medications and any specific concerns.
- The exam. The dentist looks carefully at every tooth, the gums, the bite, and any specific concerns you mention. X-rays are taken only where they add useful information.
- The conversation. The dentist explains what looks healthy, what needs attention, what can wait, and why. Nothing is sold at the exam.
- The written plan. If treatment is needed, you leave with a written plan and, where insurance applies, an estimate. You decide what to schedule and when.
The New Patients page has the full first-visit walkthrough.
If it's been really bad.
Sometimes the news is that a tooth is beyond repair, that gum disease has progressed, or that a few things need attention over the next several months. The response to that is not a lecture. It is a plan.
Priorities usually break down like this. Anything painful or infected gets addressed first. Anything actively breaking gets stabilized. Preventive care starts as soon as the acute issues are handled. Cosmetic concerns come last, if you want to address them at all.
The General and Preventive Dentistry and Restorative Dentistry pages explain each service in more detail.
Cost, insurance, and pacing the work.
Cost is often the reason care got paused in the first place. It is fair to be direct about it at the visit. Dunning Family Dental is out of network with insurance plans and submits claims as a courtesy; the Insurance and Payment page walks through the billing flow. CareCredit is accepted for spreading larger treatment across months.
If a plan cannot be handled in one round, it does not have to be. Sequencing across months or across a year is a normal part of returning to regular care.
Common questions
Practical answers, plainly written.
Will I be judged for how long it has been?
No. Judgment is not a treatment. If a dental office reacts to time away with sighs, comments, or lectures, that is a signal about the office, not about you. Dunning's approach is to look, describe what is happening, and talk through what to do next.
Do I need X-rays at the first visit?
X-rays are taken where they add information that the visual exam cannot provide, such as between-tooth decay, bone level, or the status of prior restorations. The American Dental Association's guidance is that X-rays should be based on individual need, not on a fixed schedule.
Will everything need to be fixed right away?
No. The plan that comes out of the first visit distinguishes what needs attention now, what can be scheduled soon, and what can wait. Sequencing is normal and often preferred, especially when cost or time is a real constraint.
What if I only want to know what is wrong for now?
That is a completely reasonable first visit. An exam, a conversation, and a written plan are useful even if you are not ready to schedule anything else yet.
How do I schedule?
Call 518-842-3220 during office hours. The front desk will match the right visit type to your situation, confirm what to bring, and answer any questions about insurance before you arrive.
A conversation, not a verdict.
Call 518-842-3220 to schedule when you are ready. There is no shame in coming back after years away.
Honest dentistry for families who want the long view.