What to Expect During your First Visit with Dr. Bates
How To Prepare: Maximize Your Appointment Time
If you have not seen your general dentist for your routine cleaning and exam in the past 12 months, we request you go ahead and schedule that appointment. We are happy to provide you with a recommendation! At Bates Orthodontics, healthy teeth and gums are a requirement for orthodontic treatment.
Complete all new patient forms in our OrthoFi patient portal through the link that was emailed and texted to you. If you did not receive this link, please let our office know.
Provide your dental insurance information to our office as soon as possible so that we may verify if your policy has any orthodontic coverage. This allows us to give accurate treatment fee estimates at your appointment.
If you have any questions or concerns prior to your appointment, please call our office and our team will be happy to help!
What to Expect: A Step-By-Step Guide to your Consultation
Welcome to Our Office! Upon your arrival, please let us know you have arrived by checking in with our front desk. Please help yourself to refreshments in our reception area. On some days, you may be greeted by the wagging tail or high-pitched woof of our four-legged office mascot, Roux! If you are not a fan of dogs, please let us know and she will be happy to retreat to her office for nap time during your time in our office!
Meet your Treatment Coordinator for pictures and x-rays: At the beginning of your appointment, you will meet your treatment coordinator who will sit down with you to review your new patient forms and your reasons for seeking orthodontic treatment. They will take some x-rays and photos of your face, teeth, and jaws that will help Dr. Bates and our team best assess and discuss your treatment needs.
Meet Dr. Bates and receive an orthodontic examination: It's important for Dr. Bates to meet you and to understand what your mouth fully looks like before recommending any orthodontic treatment. He will examine your photos and x-rays that are taken along with performing a full orthodontic examination to assess your teeth, smile, bite, jaws, and make notes with your treatment coordinator on what he sees!
Discuss your personal treatment recommendations and options with Dr. Bates: No two patients are alike, so why would your treatment be?! At Bates Orthodontics, every treatment plan is created personally for you. Based on your exam findings and reasons for seeking orthodontic treatment, Dr. Bates and your Treatment Coordinator will sit down with you and go over all of your treatment options. They will discuss whether treatment is needed, what options they recommend, such as traditional braces or clear aligners, and how long your treatment is estimated to take. For younger patients, we may not recommend treatment at this time, but will continue to observe growth and development through complimentary re-evaluations until they are ready! You are encouraged to ask questions during this time!
Review treatment fees, insurance coverage, and available payment plans: We know this final step is an important one to many of our patients. If treatment is recommended, your treatment coordinator will break down the fees associated with your recommended treatment options, as well as your estimated insurance coverage and our flexible payment plan options offered through OrthoFi. We offer interest-free options, pay-in-full discounts, and automated monthly payments. Our goal is to find a payment plan that works best for your family and your monthly budget! We recommend discussing with your family prior to your appointment to have an idea of what down payment and monthly payment you are comfortable with. This allows our Treatment Coordinator to find the perfect payment plan for you and answer any questions you may have during your consultation.
Become a member of the BO Fam! If you feel comfortable and are ready to begin your smile transformation with us, our treatment coordinator will go over next steps with you!
