A first visit at Radiant Smiles is an examination, X-rays if you need them, and a conversation. It takes about an hour. You will see your own scan on a screen and hear what needs doing now, what can be watched, and what can be left alone.
You are not obliged to book any treatment that day.
Before you come
NEEDS SIGN-OFF K-13 Claims about the practice — Parking at the building. Approve as written, or give the correction.
Tell us three things when you call, because each one changes how we schedule you:
- If you are in pain. You get seen sooner, and we plan the appointment around getting you comfortable.
- If it has been a long time. You get a longer appointment instead of a rushed one. It changes nothing about how you are treated.
- If you are nervous. You get the first slot of the day, so you are not sitting in a waiting room rehearsing, and we plan for whatever you need.
Bring: your insurance card if you have one, a list of any medications, and the name of your previous dentist if you would like records transferred.
There is parking at the building, so build in less time than you think for that part.
The examination
It is not a glance.
Dr. Kaur looks at every tooth — including the surfaces you cannot see and the older work that may be failing quietly under a filling done twenty years ago. Then the gums, with a small probe that measures the gap between gum and tooth in millimetres. It does not hurt, and the numbers get written down; you can ask to be told them.
Then the bite — how your teeth meet, whether they are wearing unevenly, whether you are grinding without knowing it.
And then the soft tissue: your tongue, your cheeks, the floor of your mouth, your throat. This part takes a minute and most patients do not notice it happening. It is a check for oral cancer, and it is the reason a dental visit is a medical visit rather than a cosmetic one.
X-rays
Taken when there is a reason to take them — a new patient with no records, a symptom, a history of decay.
They matter because roughly half the decay in an adult mouth is between the teeth, where nobody can see it. Without X-rays, an examination is a partial examination.
If Dr. Kaur takes one, she will tell you why. If the answer is ever "because it is on the schedule," that is not a good enough answer, here or anywhere.
The conversation — the part that is actually the point
You will be shown what was found, on a screen you can look at yourself, and told what it means in plain words.
Then three lists:
What needs doing now. With a reason and a number.
What can be watched. This list is real. If the honest answer is "we keep an eye on it," that is the answer you will get, even though it is not the one that pays.
What can be left alone. Also real.
Then you go home and think about it. Nothing is decided in the chair, and nothing is sold to you on the day. A patient who understands the options can choose between them. A patient who does not is just consenting.
The cleaning
Usually done at the same visit — about forty-five minutes.
If it has been a long time, it may take longer, or be split over two appointments. And if there is gum disease, what you need is a deep cleaning rather than a cleaning, which is a different procedure at a different price. You will be told that before it happens, not billed for it afterwards.
What it costs
NEEDS SIGN-OFF C-01, C-03, C-30, K-10 Costs stated here — new-patient exam + x-rays + cleaning $250–$450; tooth-coloured filling $250–$450; membership plan — annual price + inclusions NO FIGURE — WE DO NOT KNOW THIS. Claims about the practice — Out-of-network with most plans; we help with claims. Approve as written, or give the correction.
An exam, X-rays and a cleaning for a new patient typically runs $250 to $450 in this area, without insurance.
Radiant Smiles is currently an out-of-network provider with most plans. Many plans still pay a share; call with your details and we will work out what yours does before you commit. If you have no dental insurance, ask about the in-office membership plan.
If cost is the obstacle, say so on the phone. It is a solvable problem, and it is a far better conversation to have before treatment than after it.
Questions people ask
How long will it take?
About an hour.
Will you clean my teeth on the first visit?
Usually yes. If more is needed, we will tell you why.
Do I have to book treatment on the day?
No. Take the plan home.
Can the whole family come at once?
Usually, yes. Ask when you call — it is the sensible way to do it.
What if I am embarrassed?
Say so. It is the most common sentence we hear and it is the shortest route to a better appointment.
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New patients are welcome, including children. Call (203) 372-0881, or read what a first visit costs and what insurance covers.
Educational, not a diagnosis.
