Anxious patient

I really don't like to visit the dentist. What can you do to help me relax?

Many people have reservations about having dental treatment. When you walk into our practice, the first thing you may notice is the warm, relaxing atmosphere. We'll offer you headphones and DVD movies available if you want an enjoyable distraction. For more complex procedures or more anxious patients, we also offer nitrous, local anesthesia, or oral sedation as options to help you relax.

Bad breath

My breath has a terrible odor. Is there anything you can do to eliminate this problem?

Millions of people struggle with halitosis, or bad breath, despite daily teeth brushing. Here's a checklist of procedures that can eliminate the problem: twice daily brushing, daily flossing, tongue cleaning, regular professional cleanings, and careful cleaning of any dentures or removable dental appliances. However, if your hygiene is meticulous and the problem persists, we can offer several solutions. First, we can provide a plastic tool called a tongue scraper that cleans away bacterial build-up on your tongue and significantly alleviates odor. Or, we can recommend a specially–designed program, which includes a toothpaste and rinse that actually breaks the odor-causing sulfur bonds that cause bad breath. Finally, we may also suspect a systemic or internal problem such as an infection or underlying condition, in which case we may recommend a visit with your family physician or specialist to identify the cause.

Bleeding gums

Is it bad if my gums bleed after I brush my teeth?

It's definitely not desirable to have bleeding gums following brushing. However, the condition may or may not require attention, depending on the source of the problem. Bleeding gums can be caused by any of the following: improper, rough, 'scrubbing' instead of gentle, circular brushing motions; using a hard-bristled tooth brush instead of a soft one; plaque and/or tartar build-up below the gum line; or gum sensitivity due to gingivitis or periodontal disease. If this problem persists despite correct brushing and flossing methods, or occurs every time you brush, contact our office to set up an evaluation appointment.

Children

At what age should my children first see the dentist?

You are the most powerful influence on your child's dental care habits. So, start your children off on the right foot! We recommend that our patients bring their children in for their first dental visit after all of their primary teeth have erupted, but also when they are able to sit in a dentist's chair without fear. Generally, this is around the age of three. To make this a fun and non-threatening visit, we'll typically just count their teeth, introduce them to our staff, show them how the dental chair works, and let them become familiar with our equipment. This provides us with an opportunity to spot and prevent any potential oral health/dental problems while also establishing a friendship in preparation for doing any future work on the child's teeth.

Crooked teeth

I want my front teeth to look better, but I don't want to wear braces, what can you do to help?

There are a number of ways to improve the look of your front teeth without the use of unsightly braces. For slightly crooked or unevenly worn teeth, a bit of reshaping and the addition of porcelain veneers or crowns is often sufficient to give them a bright, uniform look. We'd be happy to talk with you further about the option that best suits your individual situation.

Dental questions

Is there a way I can ask Dr. Shannon questions directly?

We encourage our patients to have open, direct communication with Dr. Shannon. Therefore, he's available daily to answer your questions either via e-mail or voice mail. Depending on office traffic and the complexity of your questions, he strives to respond within 24 hours.

Emergencies

What should I do if I have an emergency and the office is closed?

If you have a true dental emergency, simply contact our office. Leave information with our answering service as to the exact nature of your condition, and we will return your call right away.

Flossing

Do I really have to floss every day? Is it really necessary to be so meticulous?

A little regular flossing goes a long way and is truly critical for your overall oral health. It loosens food particles in tight spaces that your toothbrush cannot reach, it gets rid of plaque build-up that toothbrushes alone cannot remove, and it exercises your gum tissues. All of which is necessary to avoid gum disease. So, just think of daily flossing as the finishing touch after brushing—insurance for your smile's future.
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Insurance

Do you accept my insurance plan?

Our office is willing to work with any insurance company. This means that we'll be happy to file your insurance for you and will accept payment from them as well. Of course, we ask that patients understand up front the limitations of their own coverage and take responsibility for their portion of the bill not covered by insurance. In any case, we're well versed in the latest coverage trends and are more than happy to discuss the particulars of your plan with you prior to any treatments you may undergo.

Payment

What different payment options do you provide?

You're making an excellent investment in your medical and emotional well-being as you proceed with dental treatment at Shannon DentalCare. Financial considerations should not be an obstacle to obtaining this important health service. Being sensitive to the fact that different people have different needs in fulfilling their financial obligations, we are providing you the following payment options. You deserve quality care, and our fees reflect our commitment to that quality and to you.

• OPTION 1 - Bookkeeping Courtesy

  With very few exceptions, you may receive a 5% fee reduction when payment in full is received 5 days prior to treatment by cash or check.  Make the full payment by American Express, Visa, MasterCard or Discover at least five days prior to treatment and receive a 3% fee reduction. This is offered because it reduces the practice's cost for additional statements and follow-up. And should you have dental benefits your insurance company will be billed by our office with instructions to pay you, as the policy holder, all benefits derived from your dental plan.

• OPTION 2 - Equal Payments at Each Office Visit

  If you need a more consistent payment option, you may choose to make equal payments at each office visit. The estimated patient's portion of the treatment plan is simply divided by the number of appointments, and this amount is paid at each office visit. These payments may be made using cash, check, credit card or debit card.

• OPTION 3 - Healthcare Payment Options

  Enjoy customized healthcare monthly payment options for care with a minimum amount being financed of $300.00. Our financing partners require no initial payment and prepayments can be made any time without penalty. It's a fast confidential service for those with good standing credit. Apply for interest-free monthly payment options requiring no initial payment. CareCredit and CitiHealth cover up to 100% of treatment after just a quick credit review. It's free to apply and there's no annual fee. And should smaller payments over a longer period of time make your treatment more comfortable and affordable, extended monthly payment plans are available with up to 60 months to meet your needs. Insurance is filed as a courtesy.

For patients who have insurance, we are happy to assist in processing insurance claims to maximize those benefits. While insurance is designed to help offset the cost of dental care, it's important to note that insurance estimates and pre-authorizations are not a guarantee from the insurance company. We ask patients to note that the insurance policy is a contract between them or their employer and the insurance company and the team at Shannon DentalCare is not a party to the intricate details of such agreements or contracts. Regardless of insurance coverage, financial arrangements between each patient and Shannon DentalCare will ultimately be the patients' responsibility. If, for any reason, the estimated amount is not paid by the insurance company within 30 days, it becomes the patients' commitment.

Porcelain restorations

Can you tell me more about crowns, veneers, onlays and inlays?

With today's technology, materials, and advanced techniques, we have many options for restoring weak, broken, chipped, discolored, and/or crooked teeth…bringing them back to their original shape and function. For example, we can apply an all-porcelain crown, somewhat like a 'cap', that covers the entire outside of the problem tooth. Crowns are also helpful to cover large areas of decay after they've been filled. Or, for large decayed or damaged surface chewing areas requiring restoration, we can apply a protective covering/filling or onlay made of either precious metal or composite resin material, thereby adding strength and preventing decay. If you need fillings, we can use porcelain inlays instead of silver amalgam… actually strengthening the tooth and protecting it against further fracture. Similarly, we can restore cracked, discolored, crooked or otherwise unattractive front teeth to pretty, natural shapes and shades by applying paper-thin porcelain veneers to the fronts. If you're interested in finding out more about these procedures, check out our patient library.

Referrals

Do you accept referrals?

We're happy to accept referrals from other dental offices as well as from our patients. We do appreciate that new patients complete a patient evaluation form prior to the first visit—available on-line; we also appreciate receiving all records and x-rays ahead of time if possible.

Safety

What precautions do you take to ensure patient safety?

Your safety is always the top priority. Our entire practice team is well versed in state-of-the-art infection control techniques designed to ensure patient safety. This goes beyond wearing gloves and facemasks to prevent passing germs. It includes a specialized sterilization center and a water filtration system that guarantees a fresh, individualized, distilled water source for each patient.

Technology

How does Dr. Shannon keep up to date on all of the current techniques and materials?

You deserve the latest in dental technology. Advances in dental tools and techniques mean more comfortable, faster healing treatment for you and your family. Dr. Shannon subscribes to the latest industry journals to keep tabs on research and development in the dental industry, and attends ongoing continuing education seminars and conferences in various areas of specialty. Furthermore, he's spent over 300 hours in the last three years alone, learning directly from the experts at the renowned Pankey Institute in complex areas such as occlusion and bite reconstruction. And, Dr. Shannon's commitment to long-term education doesn't end with himself: each of the staff pursues continuing education in his or her area of expertise as well.

Tooth whitening

How can I have whiter teeth?

There are a number of procedures available to help whiten your smile. In many cases, an in-office whitening session can provide the change desired; in other cases, porcelain veneers offer a more effective solution. Dr. Shannon can help evaluate your potential for whitening your teeth based on their current color and the causes of any discoloration. If you opt for the whitening process, we offer a traditional at-home whitening system. This method requires anywhere from one to two weeks of daily sessions, and usually brings teeth up about two shades on the dental chart. To read more about this, please look in our patient education section, "What a Little Info Can Do."

Treatment frequency

How do I know when it's time to come in for a check-up?

An average, healthy adult typically benefits from a professional cleaning and check up every six months. However, it's tough to generalize because every mouth is different. Some people are prone to gum disease, bruxism, or other ongoing oral health concerns that require more frequent visits. Others simply need a routine professional tartar removal at regular intervals. That's why we're so careful to check methodically and determine what kind of ongoing professional treatment will achieve your optimum dental health…which could translate to a check-up every 2, 3, 4 or 6 months, according to your needs.

Unique Practice

What makes you different from any other dental practice I can choose?

That's a good question! On the surface our practice may seem like so many others offering comprehensive, general and cosmetic dentistry. However, as the saying goes, the proof is in the details. There's a real difference in how we serve you. From your first contact with our office through the entire treatment process you'll be a partner in your dental care. During the initial evaluation you'll see right away how thoroughly we evaluate, diagnose, and inform you of your dental condition prior to any kind of treatment. Your evaluation always includes a complete health history, visual examination and intra-oral tour of the mouth, digital x-rays, and screening for a variety of conditions such as oral cancer, bruxism and myofacial/TMJ-related concerns.

Throughout the process you will be kept fully informed about everything we're doing so that you understand your dental situation. Plus we take into consideration your personal desires and concerns. A successful partnership is one in which everyone works towards the same goals. Together we'll develop a suitable treatment plan that offers you the very best options for achieving great oral health for a lifetime.