The short answer
A first visit usually starts with paperwork: a health questionnaire, your insurance information and contact details. The dentist or hygienist reviews your medical history, examines your teeth, gums and bite, and decides whether X-rays are needed. A cleaning may happen the same day or at a separate visit, depending on what the exam finds. You leave with a plain explanation of what, if anything, needs attention.
General information, not a diagnosis. Your dentist will examine your mouth before recommending treatment.
Before you arrive: what to bring
Most of the stress of a first visit comes from not knowing what will be asked of you. The office will hand you new patient paperwork that covers your health history, your insurance information and your contact details, plus a notice about how patient privacy is handled. If you would rather not fill it out in the waiting room, call ahead and ask whether the forms can be sent to you first.
A few things make the visit smoother. Your dentist needs to know about your overall health, because many medical conditions affect your mouth and some medications cause dry mouth or change how you bleed and heal. Writing the list down at home is more reliable than remembering it in the chair.
- A photo ID and your dental insurance card, if you have one. Infinite Dental Wellness accepts all PPO plans and does not accept Medi-Cal or Denti-Cal; you can call (818) 541-1110 to check your coverage before you come in.
- A list of every medication and supplement you take, including over-the-counter products, and any allergies.
- Any X-rays or records from a previous dentist, or that office's contact details so copies can be requested. See switching dentists and transferring records.
- Any night guard or denture you wear, so it can be checked for fit.
- A short list of questions or symptoms you want to raise, even if they seem minor.
Checking in and your health history
After the paperwork, the dental team asks about your recent medical history and any concerns. This is the moment to mention the things people often leave out: a tooth that aches only with cold, gums that bleed when you floss, a jaw that clicks, or a past dental experience that went badly. None of it is a judgment on you. It simply tells the dentist where to look first.
It is also when you can set the pace. If you want each step explained before it happens, or you want a hand signal that pauses the work, say so now. The office already works that way for anxious patients, and it is easier to agree on it at the start than halfway through an exam.
The office is at 3600 N Verdugo Rd, Suite 201, in Glendale, with convenient parking and easy access from the 2 Freeway. Current hours are on the contact page: the office is open Monday and Wednesday 11 AM to 7 PM, Thursday 10 AM to 4 PM and Friday 10 AM to 6 PM, and closed Tuesday and weekends.
| Item | Why it matters | If you do not have it |
|---|---|---|
| Photo ID and insurance card | Confirms who you are and lets the office check your PPO benefits | Call ahead with your insurer and member ID, or come as a self-pay patient |
| Medication and allergy list | Some medicines cause dry mouth, affect bleeding or interact with anesthetic | Bring the bottles, or ask your pharmacy for a printout |
| Previous X-rays and records | Recent images may not need to be retaken; past notes show what changed | Give the old office's name; copies can be requested, see transferring records |
| Night guard or denture | Fit and wear are checked as part of the exam | Mention it so it can be checked at a later visit |
| Your questions and symptoms | Small things you forget in the chair often matter to the diagnosis | Tell the hygienist at the start; they will pass it on |
The exam and X-rays, if needed
The dental checkup itself is a careful look at each tooth, your existing fillings and crowns, your gums, your bite and the soft tissues of your mouth, including an oral cancer screening of the tongue, cheeks, palate and throat. The hygienist may measure the space between your gums and teeth with a small probe to check for gum disease.
X-rays show what an exam cannot: decay between teeth, bone levels around roots, problems under old fillings. You may not need an X-ray at every visit. The dentist decides based on your oral health, your age, your risk of disease and any symptoms, which is the approach the American Dental Association recommends. If your previous dentist has recent images, the new office may ask for copies instead of ordering new ones.
This office uses digital X-rays. If you are pregnant or have questions about radiation, ask before the images are taken; the guide to dental X-rays and what they show covers the types and what each one finds.
Cleaning: the same visit or a separate one
Many first visits include a professional cleaning, where the hygienist removes plaque and hardened tartar that brushing cannot reach, then polishes the teeth. Whether that happens on the first day depends on what the exam finds and how the appointment was booked.
If the probing and X-rays show gum disease with deeper pockets, a standard cleaning and exam is not the right treatment. You may instead be scheduled for scaling and root planing, often called a deep cleaning, which is usually done with local anesthetic over more than one appointment. The dentist will tell you which type of cleaning applies before anything is booked, so there is no surprise.
The treatment plan talk
Once the exam is done, the dentist goes over what was found in plain language: what is healthy, what is worth watching, and what needs treatment. If something does need work, you should hear why, what the options are, and what happens if you wait. A good plan separates the urgent from the optional.
You can ask for the plan in writing with the procedures listed, and you can take it home before deciding. For anything beyond routine care, it is reasonable to ask what the office will check with your insurer first. The insurance and payment page explains what the office accepts, and the front desk can walk you through what to expect before you book.
There is no pressure to decide in the chair. If you want time, a second opinion, or a smaller first step, say so.
If you are nervous or it has been years
Nothing about a first visit requires you to have perfect teeth. People who have stayed away for a long time often worry about being lectured; the exam is the same thorough look and the plan starts with whatever is causing harm now, at a pace you can manage.
If anxiety is the reason you waited, tell the receptionist when you book and tell the dentist again when you sit down. The practice does not offer sedation dentistry; instead it uses clear explanations, topical numbing before any injection, breaks, and a hand signal you can raise at any time. The dental anxiety page and the guide to comfort options go through what is available and when a referral elsewhere makes more sense.
Same-day appointments are offered when possible, especially for pain or swelling. If you have facial swelling with a fever, trouble breathing or swallowing, or bleeding that will not stop, go to an emergency room or call 911 first. More answers are on the FAQ page, or you can book online.