FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - FAQs

An absence of toothache and obvious dental symptoms may offer a false sense of security regarding the health of your mouth and your overall health. Silent dental issues can exist and progress over time. The bacteria in your mouth can also find its way into your blood stream and create inflammatory issues throughout your body. With a dental examination, silent issues can be identified and addressed early. Potential problems can be prevented or minimized, before they become more complex and costly concerns.

We recommend a dental check up at least once every 6 months. A regular dental check up will assist you with both maintaining consistency of oral and total health and your motivation with home self care routines. However, this interval may vary depending on individual circumstances. After your initial consultation and treatment, we can recommend a review interval appropriate for you.

A checkup appointment may be made, 6 months ahead, directly after completing treatment. Alternatively, to schedule a time, our practice may be contacted directly on 9650 0033 during business hours, from 7am - 5pm weekdays. An appointment may be made via this website for direct online bookings, at any time of day, or night. We also send reminder sms messages to our patients when review appointments are due with a link in the text to allow them to make online bookings at the time they receive the reminder message via their smart phone.

Yes! We welcome and accept all new patients. The success of our practice has been built on the kind referrals from our existing patients, specialist practitioners, family, friends and colleagues. Please feel confident to recommend your family, friends and colleagues to our practice for exceptional care and service.

Yes, it ok to! Dental care during pregnancy is safe, recommended for your health and will help you have a healthier baby. Planning for your baby’s future smile can also begin before birth. We can teach you about the hormone-mediated changes that occur in the mouth with pregnancy and how to best manage them to maintain your oral health and prevent oral disorders that are associated with poor pregnancy outcomes. When you enhance your oral health, you will improve the future oral health of your baby and oral hygiene behaviours in your home including attitudes to dental care of your entire family.

Our practice along with the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP), American Dental Association (ADA) and American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (AAPD), all recommend establishing a ‘dental home’ for your child by one year of age. Children who have a dental home (general dental practice) are more likely to receive preventive and routine dental care and make excellent future dental patients.

Absolutely! Orthodontic treatment may often take up to 2 years. It is challenging to clean around bands and tooth enamel surfaces may suffer damage such as dental decay or weakness (demineralisation) often termed ‘white spot lesions’. These white spots remain as permanent ‘scars’ on the enamel and can diminish the appearance of your smile after orthodontic care. They may even progress to cavities that require fillings in the future.

Also, poor hygiene can cause gum inflammation (gingivitis) and pain during orthodontic treatment. Gingivitis may lead to gum shrinkage or gum disease. Routine dental check ups are advised to maintain oral hygiene and provide remineralisation therapies to support the health of the teeth and gums and ultimately help you achieve a successful orthodontic result – a beautiful and healthy smile!

We recommend teeth be cleaned twice daily, consistently, to control build up of disease causing dental plaque. Brushing after meals - after breakfast and after dinner (just before bed time) are the best times for your tooth brushing routine.

Try to floss your teeth at least once per day, consistently. Ideally, we recommend a routine of flossing twice a day, directly before brushing. Flossing just before brushing, will allow you to remove any trapped food particles and clumps of dental plaque that may have settled between your teeth. Then, when you follow with brushing, the toothpaste can more easily reach between the teeth, as it foams up, for a more thorough clean.

The best toothbrush for your mouth is the one that you will use. Ideally, choose a soft bristled brush, as the bristles will remove plaque well and are gentle on gums. Opt for one with a small head, to allow you to reach all areas of the mouth easily. This may be either a manual or electric toothbrush – and a different brushing technique will apply for each. It depends on your preference, dexterity and success as to which one you may prefer to use. A thorough clean can be achieved with either type of brush when a correct technique is used, for at least 2-3 minutes, in conjunction with dental flossing, twice daily.

Toothpaste choice can be tailored to specific patient needs and is best professionally recommended. A high value everyday toothpaste is fluoride based and offers good bacteria control. We can recommend the best toothpaste, for your individual circumstances.

A toothbrush or toothbrush head (for an electric toothbrush handle) should be replaced at least once every 3 months or when the bristles become splayed, whichever comes first. Research has found that after 3 months of average wear and tear, toothbrush bristles break down and are less effective at removing plaque from teeth and gums compared to new ones. We also advise to change your toothbrush after an illness such as the flu or tonsillitis, to avoid reinfection.

Tooth whitening is not essential. The decision is very much based on individual preferences. If you feel unhappy about the appearance of your smile, whitening the color of your teeth can boost your confidence in corporate or social settings and elevate the way you feel about your self, your teeth and your smile. It may also enhance your motivation for caring for your teeth.

Yes. We see patients who have had accidents that also include dental injuries and are participants of these programs, to help patients return to health and best function as soon as they can.

Yes. We honor Veterans Affairs dental services. No gap in payment is required for our returning soldiers and their wives who are members of this program.

The simple answer to this question is no. At Melbourne Dentistry, we are not contractually obligated, in this way, to any health fund. We believe that as a patient, you should have the right to see any practitioner, you choose, for unrestricted access to the widest range and best dental care available. Your options involving your health care should not be restricted by your health fund through financial incentives they offer (by varying your rebate levels), to direct you to the practitioners of their choosing.

Preferred provider dentists are not chosen by the health funds for their particular level of skill or abilities. These practitioners have signed up with specific health funds to provide dental care in accordance with the health fund’s terms of service, in exchange for having patients directed to their practices by the health fund (via advertising of these preferred provider programs). This is for the financial advantage of the health fund and not necessarily for the care of the patient.

When seeking to join a health fund or change your health fund provider, consider choosing a health fund that enables you to see any dental practitioner you wish to see, with no financial restriction to the rebate levels you are entitled to.

Following assessment and diagnosis of your oral condition, we will develop a comprehensive treatment plan for you. We follow processes of informed financial consent. We will explain and provide you with a treatment plan including a cost estimation, prior to the commencement of any treatment.

We can work with you to stage and prioritise your specific treatment plan so issues requiring immediate treatment may be addressed first and further treatment needs attended to over a timeline achievable for you. A long term review and preventive plan can also be recommended to follow, in order to help you avoid new or similar issues in the future. This approach, we believe will help you achieve and maintain oral health consistently over time.

It is practice policy for accounts to be settled in full at the time of consultation/treatment. For your convenience, we accept the following methods of payment - cash, cheque, Eftpos, MasterCard, Visa and American Express.

Our practice is equipped with HI CAPS facilities for on the spot processing of your health fund claims. Please bring your private health fund card to your appointment. If you do not have access to your private health fund card on the day of treatment, we will provide you with a receipt following payment for you to subsequently claim your rebate.

At Melbourne Dentistry, we confirm all of our appointments. With the latest technology, our system has the ability to confirm your appointment either via SMS, email or a phone call.

When you schedule an appointment, we hold that time exclusively for you. Should you be unable to attend, please contact the practice to cancel or reschedule your appointed time as soon as you can. We respectfully request a minimum of 24 hours notice of appointment cancellation. This allows the opportunity for your appointment time to be offered to another patient in need.

A fee may be charged for repeated failure to attend or cancellation at short notice.