2556 Apple Valley Road, Suite 150, Atlanta, Georgia 30319 404.467.0890
Patient Information
Thank you for your interest in our dental practice dedicated exclusively to endodontic care. This section will tell you more about what to expect at our office. For information about the services we provide, please visit our Procedures section.
At your initial consultation appointment, the tooth will be tested to determine if root canal therapy is necessary. At this time, your medical and dental history will be reviewed. The testing of the tooth will include pressure and thermal testing, along with the review of the appropriate X-rays. Your initial consultation will take approximately 30 minutes. Once all the diagnostic data has been collected and reviewed, Dr. Welch will determine if your tooth requires root canal therapy.
Please be prepared to provide the following information at your initial consultation:
Your dentist’s referral slip and any X-rays, if applicable.
A list of medications you are currently taking.
Your dental insurance card.
Please note that all patients under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to the initial visit.
Alert us in advance of your appointment if you have a medical condition that requires antibiotic pre-medication for your dental treatment. You should also alert us if you are taking blood thinners or have an allergy to latex.
We are committed to adhering to all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.
Our goal is to provide the highest level of safety. You may take comfort in knowing that the following procedures are routinely performed:
Use of disinfectant hand soap.
Use of gloves and face masks.
Chemical disinfectant of countertops and surfaces.
Sterilization of all equipment including all dental handpieces.
Disposable materials used as protective barriers to cover the dental chair, dental light, and handles.
Individual tray set ups with sterile instruments are utilized for all procedures.
We sterilize all equipment using an autoclave, a device that kills bacteria and viruses by steam under pressure. We use an independent commercial monitoring service through Emory University to insure the proper sterilization of our dental equipment.
Following your root canal appointment, you will experience mild pain in the area around the tooth and injection sites for two to three days. We recommend that you follow these instructions:
Take three or four 200 milligram (mg) tablets of ibuprofen every six hours for three days, even if you don’t feel that you need it.
If you are sensitive to ibuprofen, we recommend taking two extra-strength Tylenol every six hours for three days.
Do not bite or chew on the treated tooth for three days.
Allow two to four weeks for proper healing before visiting your dentist for the final restoration of the tooth.
If your pain lasts beyond three days or rises to a level not controlled by the recommended doses of the above medications, please call us immediately. We may prescribe stronger pain medication and/or antibiotics.
When you require an evaluation as your initial visit, our policy is to collect the entire fee at the time of service. If you have insurance, we will file the claim and have the insurance payment sent to your home address.
When your appointment is for treatment, we require the entire fee the day of service if you do not have insurance.
If you have insurance, and your appointment is for treatment, 50 percent of the treatment fee is required the day of service. We will then file your insurance claim. At the time of treatment, we require your credit card information to be left on file with us because we do not verify insurance information. When an insurance payment is received and it pays more than the balance due, a refund check will be issued to you.
When an insurance payment is less than the balance due, your credit card will be charged for the balance. Once your credit card has been charged, the credit card information will be destroyed.
We are a participating practice in MetLife’s Preferred Dentist Program and Cigna's PPO program. For more information about these programs, please go to www.metdental.com or www.cigna.com.
The fee for your root canal will include all the necessary items to complete the case, such as diagnostic testing, X-rays, anesthetics, supplies, and materials. This also includes a recall appointment to evaluate healing if necessary.
Our office is participating with CareCredit as a financing option. For more information reqarding CareCredit go to www.carecredit.com.