If you’re considering scheduling a dental appointment in Boston but find yourself hesitating because you’re not sure what to expect, you’re in good company. Every day at The Face Dental Group, we hear from patients who have important questions before they book their first visit—questions about what actually happens during that appointment, how much it will cost, whether insurance will cover it, and what they should prepare.

These are smart questions to ask. Understanding what to expect helps you feel more confident, prepared, and in control of your dental care decisions. As someone who has helped thousands of Boston-area patients navigate their dental care over the years, I’ve found that addressing these common concerns upfront makes that first visit much more comfortable and productive.

Below, I’ll walk you through the seven most common questions patients ask before booking their first dental visit, with specific information relevant to the Boston area, realistic pricing expectations, and practical advice to help you make informed decisions about your oral health.

1. What Actually Happens During My First Dental Visit?

This is often the first question patients ask, and for good reason. Understanding the process helps reduce anxiety and allows you to plan your time accordingly.

At The Face Dental Group, a comprehensive new patient visit typically follows this structure:

Medical and Dental History Review

We begin by reviewing your complete medical history, current medications, allergies, and any previous dental experiences. This information is crucial because your oral health is deeply connected to your overall health. Conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders can affect your dental treatment, and certain medications may impact your gums or saliva production.

Comprehensive Oral Examination

The clinical examination includes a thorough assessment of:

• Your teeth—checking for cavities, cracks, wear patterns, and the condition of existing fillings or crowns
• Your gums and supporting bone structure—evaluating for signs of periodontal disease
• Your bite and jaw joints (TMJ)—identifying any alignment issues or jaw discomfort
• Soft tissues—performing an oral cancer screening of your tongue, cheeks, throat, and other tissues
• Any existing dental work—assessing the condition of previous restorations

Diagnostic Imaging

Digital X-rays are typically taken during your first visit. At our Boston practice, we use advanced digital radiography that reduces radiation exposure by up to 90% compared to traditional film X-rays while providing detailed images instantly. Depending on your needs, this may include bitewing X-rays (showing between teeth), periapical X-rays (showing entire teeth and surrounding bone), or a panoramic X-ray (showing your entire jaw structure).

Treatment Planning Discussion

After the examination, we’ll discuss our findings in detail, explain any concerns, and develop a personalized treatment plan. This is a collaborative conversation where we prioritize treatments, discuss options, and address your questions and goals.

Time expectation: Plan for 60 to 90 minutes for a thorough first visit at a private practice. Dental school clinics may require longer appointments—sometimes up to three hours—because students provide care under faculty supervision.

Pricing expectation in the Boston area (without insurance):

• Comprehensive new patient examination: $150–$225
• Full-mouth digital X-rays: $125–$200
• Prophylaxis cleaning (if performed same day): $130–$210

2. How Much Will My First Visit Cost, and How Does My Insurance Work?

Cost concerns are completely understandable, especially in the Boston area where healthcare expenses can be higher than the national average. Transparency about pricing is essential, and I believe patients should never be surprised by their bill.

Understanding Insurance Coverage

Most dental insurance plans follow a similar structure:

• Preventive care (exams, cleanings, X-rays): Typically covered at 80–100%, often with no out-of-pocket cost if you’re in-network
• Basic procedures (fillings, simple extractions): Usually covered at 70–80%
• Major procedures (crowns, bridges, implants): Often covered at 50% after deductible

At The Face Dental Group, we verify your insurance benefits before your appointment and provide a written estimate of your expected out-of-pocket costs. We work with most major insurance carriers accepted in Boston, including Delta Dental PPO and Premier, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Guardian, and MassHealth for eligible patients.

What If I Don’t Have Insurance?

Many Boston-area patients don’t have dental insurance, or they have plans with significant out-of-pocket costs for the care they need. For these patients, we offer:

• Transparent fee schedules provided upfront
• Flexible payment plans for larger treatments
• Third-party financing options like CareCredit
• The option to prioritize urgent care and phase treatment over time

Typical first visit costs in Boston (private practice, without insurance):

• Comprehensive exam + full X-rays + routine cleaning: $400–$600 total
• With insurance: Many patients pay $0–$50 out-of-pocket for preventive care

Important questions to ask when scheduling:

• “Are you in-network with my specific insurance plan?”
• “Can you verify my benefits and give me an estimate before my visit?”
• “What payment options do you offer if I need treatment beyond my first visit?”

3. Will I Get a Cleaning at My First Appointment?

This is one of the most common sources of confusion for new patients. The answer depends on several factors, and practices handle this differently.

At The Face Dental Group, whether you receive a cleaning during your first visit depends on:

Your Gum Health Status

If your gums are healthy with minimal plaque and tartar buildup, we can typically perform a routine prophylaxis cleaning during your first visit. However, if the examination reveals signs of periodontal disease—such as deep pockets around teeth, significant tartar buildup below the gum line, or bone loss visible on X-rays—you may need a different type of cleaning called scaling and root planing (deep cleaning).

Deep cleaning is more involved and usually requires numbing. It’s often performed in multiple visits to treat different sections of your mouth, allowing for proper healing and comfort.

Scheduling and Time Considerations

Even if your gums are healthy, some practices schedule the cleaning as a separate appointment to ensure adequate time for a thorough initial examination and treatment planning discussion without feeling rushed.

Pricing expectations (Boston area, without insurance):

• Routine prophylaxis cleaning: $130–$210
• Scaling and root planing (deep cleaning): $250–$400 per quadrant (one quarter of your mouth)
• Periodontal maintenance cleaning (for patients with gum disease history): $160–$240

What to ask: “If my gums are healthy, will I receive a cleaning at my first visit, or do you schedule that separately?”

4. How Often Do I Really Need to See the Dentist?

The traditional recommendation of visiting the dentist every six months is solid advice for most patients, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all rule.

Why Regular Visits Matter

Consistent preventive care allows us to:

• Detect cavities when they’re small and easily treatable (rather than waiting until they cause pain and require root canals)
• Monitor gum health and catch periodontal disease in early stages when it’s reversible
• Identify oral cancer and precancerous lesions early when treatment outcomes are best
• Remove calculus (tartar) that can’t be removed with home brushing and flossing
• Track changes in existing dental work and plan for maintenance before problems occur

Personalized Recall Schedules

Some patients benefit from more frequent visits—every three to four months—particularly if they have:

• Active or history of periodontal disease
• Diabetes or other systemic conditions affecting oral health
• Extensive dental work (multiple crowns, bridges, or implants requiring monitoring)
• High cavity risk due to dry mouth, diet, or genetics
• Orthodontic appliances or other factors making home care more challenging

Conversely, patients with excellent oral health, low cavity risk, and pristine home care might do well with visits every eight months, though six months remains the standard recommendation.

During your first visit, I’ll recommend a recall schedule specifically tailored to your oral health needs, risk factors, and goals.

5. What If I’m Anxious or Embarrassed About the Condition of My Teeth?

Dental anxiety is incredibly common, and many patients feel embarrassed if they haven’t seen a dentist in several years. Please know that at The Face Dental Group, you’ll never face judgment—only support and understanding.

We’ve Seen It All (And We’re Here to Help)

After years of practice, I can tell you with confidence that whatever concerns you have about your teeth, we’ve encountered similar situations many times before. Our focus is always on where you are now and how we can help you achieve better oral health moving forward, not on making you feel bad about the past.

Options for Anxious Patients

We offer several approaches to help nervous patients feel comfortable:

• Open communication: Tell us about your fears, past negative experiences, or specific triggers. This information helps us adjust our approach.
• Tell-show-do technique: We explain each step before proceeding, show you instruments before using them, and move at your pace.
• Nitrous oxide (laughing gas): This mild sedative helps you relax while remaining conscious and responsive.
• Oral sedation: Anti-anxiety medication taken before your appointment for deeper relaxation.
• IV sedation: For more complex procedures or severe anxiety, deeper sedation administered by an anesthesiologist.

Many patients find that their anxiety decreases significantly after their first visit, once they realize the experience wasn’t as bad as they anticipated.

What to share when scheduling: “I’m very anxious about dental visits. What options do you have to help nervous patients feel comfortable?”

6. What Are the Most Common Treatments Needed, and What Do They Cost in Boston?

After your examination, you’ll receive a personalized treatment plan. While every patient’s needs are unique, certain treatments are commonly recommended.

Common Restorative Treatments and Boston-Area Pricing

Dental Fillings: Tooth-colored composite fillings restore teeth damaged by decay or minor fractures.

• Small filling: $200–$350
• Large or complex filling: $300–$500

Dental Crowns: Crowns cover and protect severely damaged, cracked, or root canal-treated teeth.

• Porcelain or ceramic crown: $1,200–$1,800 per tooth
• Zirconia crown (strongest option): $1,400–$2,000 per tooth

Root Canal Treatment: This removes infected tissue from inside a tooth, relieving pain and saving the tooth from extraction.

• Front tooth: $800–$1,200
• Molar: $1,200–$1,800

Extractions: When a tooth can’t be saved, removal may be necessary.

• Simple extraction: $200–$350
• Surgical extraction: $350–$600

Dental Implants: These are the gold standard for replacing missing teeth. As a board-certified prosthodontist with specialized training in implantology, I frequently help Boston patients restore missing teeth with implants.

• Single implant (including crown): $3,500–$6,000
• All-on-4 full arch restoration: $20,000–$30,000 per arch

Prioritizing Treatment

If multiple treatments are recommended, we’ll work together to prioritize based on:

• Urgency (pain, infection, or functional problems addressed first)
• Prevention (stopping small problems from becoming large, expensive ones)
• Your budget and timeline
• Your long-term goals for your smile

Not everything needs to happen immediately, and we can develop a phased treatment plan that spreads care over several months or longer if needed.

7. What Should I Bring to My First Appointment?

Coming prepared helps your first visit go smoothly and ensures we have all the information needed to provide excellent care.

Essential items to bring:

• Photo ID (driver’s license or other government-issued identification)
• Insurance card (both sides), if you have dental insurance
• List of current medications, including supplements and over-the-counter drugs
• List of medical conditions and any physicians treating you
• Previous dental records or X-rays if available (we can often request these from your prior dentist)
• List of questions or concerns about your teeth, gums, or bite

Additional helpful information:

• Known allergies to medications, latex, or dental materials
• Any anxiety triggers or past negative dental experiences
• Your goals for your smile (Are you happy with your appearance? Do you have specific concerns?)

Arriving 10–15 minutes early allows time to complete paperwork without feeling rushed, though many practices now offer online forms you can fill out from home before your visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to take antibiotics before my dental cleaning if I have a heart condition?

The guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedures have become much more specific in recent years. Currently, the American Heart Association recommends pre-medication only for patients with the highest risk for adverse outcomes from endocarditis. This includes patients with prosthetic heart valves, previous history of infective endocarditis, certain congenital heart conditions, or heart transplant recipients with valve problems. Most common heart conditions—including mitral valve prolapse, heart murmurs, and coronary artery disease—no longer require antibiotic prophylaxis. Always inform us about your heart condition, and we’ll consult with your cardiologist if there’s any question about whether pre-medication is needed for your specific situation.

I haven’t been to a dentist in 10+ years. Will you judge me or refuse to treat me?

Absolutely not. Many patients come to The Face Dental Group after extended absences from dental care, often due to dental anxiety, financial concerns, lack of insurance, or simply life getting in the way. Our team understands that dental avoidance is common and has many causes. What matters to us is that you’re here now and ready to prioritize your oral health. We’ll work with you to address urgent concerns first, develop a comfortable treatment plan that fits your budget and timeline, and help you get back on track with preventive care. You’ll never hear lectures or judgment from our team—only support and practical solutions.

What’s the difference between a general dentist and a prosthodontist?

General dentists complete four years of dental school and are qualified to provide comprehensive dental care including cleanings, fillings, crowns, extractions, and other common procedures. A prosthodontist like myself completes dental school plus an additional three years of intensive, specialized training in restoring and replacing teeth. This includes advanced expertise in complex crown and bridge work, dental implants, full mouth rehabilitation, cosmetic dentistry, TMJ disorders, and treating patients with extensive dental problems. Board certification (which I hold) requires passing rigorous written and oral examinations demonstrating mastery of the specialty. My PhD in dental materials science provides additional expertise in understanding how different materials perform in the mouth. For routine care, a general dentist is excellent. For complex cases—multiple missing teeth, full mouth reconstruction, difficult implant cases, or extensive cosmetic