1. How old should my child be for their first dental visit?
   It is recommended to have your child seen for their first visit by their first birthday. At this time Dr. Shahinfar, our pediatric dentist, will introduce you and your child to the office and do an oral exam to ensure their teeth and surrounding tissues are healthy.
   
   
2. Will I have my teeth cleaned at my first dental visit?
   The first visit for our adult patients will involve a comprehensive examination and x-rays as indicated. We then use the information gathered to develop a treatment plan. Since every patient's needs are different, prior to evaluating a patient for the first time we can not determine the amount of time to allot for a professional cleaning. In addition, some of our patients may have periodontal disease and therefore may need periodontal therapy versus a dental cleaning or prophylaxis.
   
   
3. What should I do if I have a dental emergency and the office is closed?
   If you are an active patient of record you may call the office after hours and the message will inform you how to contact the dentist on call.
   
   
4. Do you accept dental insurance?
   Our office participates with a variety of dental plans. Some of our major carriers include, but are not limited to, CareFirst of Maryland (Blue Cross Blue Shield), Met Life, Delta Dental, and United Concordia. Please contact your Human Resources department for further information.
   
   
5. Do you offer cosmetic dentistry?
   Yes, we offer a number of services that will improve our patient's smile. Our general dentists have all been trained and have the experience to perform a number of esthetic enhancing procedures including yet not exclusive to the following: whitening, veneers, implants, bonding, crowns, and bridges. As our patient population ages with a greater number of people retaining their teeth, esthetic dentistry has become a vital part of our practice. We value the importance our patients put on an attractive smile.
   
   
6. Should my child be taking fluoride supplements?
   If your child is 18 years old or younger and there is insufficient amounts of fluoride in the drinking water then they should be taking oral supplements. It is recommended that you contact the Health Department to inquire if they have record of the fluoride level in your neighborhood. If you can not obtain the fluoride level from the Health Department, contact our office so we can give you information on a company that will test your water. Once the fluoride level is determined we will prescribe fluoride as indicated.
   
   
7. Do the over-the-counter whitening systems work as well as the whitening systems supervised by a dental office?
   The whitening products that can be purchased at the supermarket do not work as well as the products dispensed through the dental office for a few reasons. The concentration of the active ingredient, carbanamide peroxide is less in the over-the-counter products and therefore is not as effective. In addition, the over-the-counter products do not benefit from a custom-made delivery tray and thus the bleaching material is not delivered as evenly to the teeth. Some of our patients have seen results with the materials purchased at the drug store; however, the results have not been as dramatic and have taken a longer time to obtain.
   
   
8. What are sealants?
   A sealant is a tooth colored resin placed in the grooves of healthy teeth. This coating prevents bacteria and plaque from becoming trapped in the decay susceptible grooves, which therefore helps to prevent decay in the most susceptible areas.
   
   
9. Do you accept payments?
   We do not accept payments. We do, however, make a flexible payment program available to our patients. Care Credit is a revolving charge account available to all qualifying patients that is easy to use, takes just minutes to apply, and is ideal for all treatment cost.