Appointments
Scheduling Policies | Request An Appointment
Scheduling Policies
If you or your child can potentially benefit from orthodontic treatment, simply call our office or fill out our appointment request form online. We will be happy to schedule an appointment for you.
How to fit orthodontics into a busy schedule
Most people seeking orthodontic treatment have other important obligations during the day, usually work or school. When orthodontic treatment begins, you will visit us approximately every 6-10 weeks and some of these appointments will inevitably conflict with work or school schedules. Our goal is to minimize these inconveniences as much as possible.
We have devoted considerable time and effort into designing our scheduling system. We want to see you on time for your appointment. Second, we want to have adequate time during each appointment to do the necessary procedures. Third, we wish to answer questions and update you on your treatment progress.
How scheduling works
Because we believe that your time is valuable, our goal is to serve our patients in a prompt and efficient manner. We, therefore, request that you arrive for your appointment on time.
If you prefer all morning appointments, that can be arranged, although we cannot provide you with all afternoon appointments. Occasionally, a patient's treatment may require a longer appointment to be scheduled during school or work hours. To be fair to all of our patients, we will alternate your appointments from morning to afternoon.
Some appointments are blissfully short. During your treatments, there are times when the adjustments are completed quickly even though they may be quite technical. We have tried to design treatment methods that limit your inconvenience.
Because the schedule is carefully crafted, your late arrival can pose a problem. In fairness to the other scheduled patients, we may not be able to accomplish your entire pre-scheduled procedure. Therefore, we may find it necessary to reschedule your appointment. In addition, a patient arriving with a broken appliance that we are unaware of may also need to be rescheduled.
"Adjustment" Appointments
These brief appointments provide technical adjustments to your braces. Most of our patients schedule these appointments at various times during the day. Even though these appointments will often occur during school or work hours, they are necessary for treatment and only take a few minutes to complete. We are happy to provide you with a written excuse slip to avoid an unexcused absence from school or work.
Longer Appointments
We generally attempt to schedule longer appointments in the morning and early afternoon during school or work hours. This allows more time in the afternoon to see patients after school and accommodate as many patients as possible in a streamlined manner. Early and after-school appointments are booked heavily so that patients do not have to miss school or work.
Emergency Appointments
Sometimes parts of your appliances may become loose or irritate your gums, lips or cheeks. In many of these situations, you can repair the damage yourself, while others need to be addressed in our office. Calling us will help you determine how urgently the repair needs to take place.
Late Arrivals and Rescheduled Appointments
While every appointment is vital to the success of your treatment, we understand that certain circumstances may cause you to change or overlook an appointment. If you are unable to keep an appointment, please call us as soon as possible to reschedule. We will offer you the first available appointment. Remember that missed appointments will extend your treatment.
Each procedure takes a specified period of time and late arrivals affect our schedule. We will, of course, uphold your appointment if you arrive late, though we may not be able to complete the work. If you believe you will be arriving late, please call our office so that we may make appropriate arrangements.
Family Care Program
When a patient becomes a part of our practice, we feel a responsibility to the entire family. We provide a free orthodontic examination for everyone in the family. We see patients at all ages and prefer to do an initial exam at age 7 when the permanent teeth are starting to erupt. Early treatment can often minimize future orthodontic problems and maximize our treatment results.
Even Mom and Dad may have problems that they are concerned about that may not have been addressed at an earlier age or are a result of that awful hassle called relapse. There is no obligation on your part to have treatment; it is just our way to let you know that we care about all your smiles.
If we can be of service to any other member of the family, please call to make an exam appointment.
Appointment Request
Thank you for your interest in our services. Please fill out the information below, and one of our team members will contact you to schedule an appointment time. We look forward to seeing you soon.
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