Seeing a new Family Dentist in Cherry Hill NJ for the first time can be a little scary. After years of seeing another dental professional, there are a lot of questions. How well will the patient and the professional get along? Could there be an issue lurking that the former dentist did not notice? Rather than dwelling too much on questions, it pays to focus on what should be done in order to prepare for that first visit. Here are some tips.
Doing Paperwork in Advance
In anticipation of that first appointment with the new Family Dentist in Cherry Hill NJ, see what can be done about filling out the patient documents in advance. Many dental offices are now set up to email documents to the patient. They can be filled out, saved, and then returned to the email address provided by the dental office. At other times, it is possible to pick up the forms a few days in advance, fill them out at home, then take the hard copies along on the day of the appointment. Both approaches save time in terms of setting up the patient file.
Transferring Older Dental Records
If the new patient has copies of the previous dental records, it pays to take them along on the day of the first appointment. If it is possible to transfer the records from the previous dentist, the patient can sign an authorization form and the office manager will make contact and arrange to receive copies of the documents. The information contained in those older records will go a long way in helping the new dentist understand what issues existed in the past and how they were handled.
Proof of Coverage
Always take along the documentation for the dental coverage. If the coverage is part of the health insurance plan, there will be a notation on the insurance card that dental benefits are included. Should the patient belong to a discount dental plan accepted by the practice, taking the card along will ensure that the proper discounts are applied to the account. Remember that patients are typically responsible for whatever costs are not covered under the insurance or discount plan terms and conditions.
Seeing a new dentist does not have to be scary. Prepare in advance and things will go just fine.
