Is it unusual to ask for a cleaning during the 1st visit to a dental office?

I asked for an appt for a cleaning and a check up. It was my first time there (a comfort dental office… was wary about that in the first place). They did a bunch of xrays (that i asked about in a question a few mins ago) and a gum check where he was seeing how deep the curves are in my gums or something. And then they said that’s it!! They said I had several cavities and could do with a crown on one tooth and that they don’t do cleaning’s on 1st visits like that…. just an exam. I thought an annual check up/cleaning was common ??? am i missing something??

Don’t be pissed off. I am a dentist. At my start-up office I do cleanings same day as initial exam….but at my busy office we do not. It all comes down to time. A cleaning…while one of the most routine dental procedures…also can be one of the longest. Not to mention that some people need “deep” cleanings which can require up to 3-4 hours of work and anesthetic. Because of these things and the unknown amount of time a dentist/hygienist will need to get new patients cleaned, we will often get new patients back for their first cleaning. It maximizes chair times and keeps pt’s from waiting too long. (think if you are scheduled after a new patient who needs a deep cleaning…you wouldn’t want to wait for several hours would you? Unfortunately for new patients it is an inconvenience…It however does not change how much the dentist collects. If he did do the cleaning at that appointment then his bill would be higher. One note…a new patient exam is typically more expensive than a routine exam…and often new patients need new radiographs…so these “initial” exams can be pricey. Finally, if you are uncertain about this office then find another.
For the person who talked about crowns for pain…The only purpose of a crown is to protect the tooth from breaking…this could be for a fracture or a root canaled tooth or just simply a tooth with an extremely large filling. A tooth that is hurting does not necessarily mean you need a crown and one that doesn’t hurt does not necessarily mean you don’t.

I agree with the Assistant above…Typically this should be explained to you at the front desk when you scheduled the appointment

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