Menu
Yes, you can download and print the forms on the new patient forms page. Fill them out and either mail the forms to us or bring them with you at your first appointment.
Details about plans are listed on our office policies page.
Call our office any time you have an emergency, even if it's after regular hours. If the office is closed, there will be a recording with instructions on what to do and who to contact in case of an emergency.
Every patient is important to us, and we schedule carefully to set aside the time everyone needs to receive the best treatment possible. However, we understand that there may be times when you must change your appointment. If you need to reschedule, please call our office no later than 48 hours before your scheduled appointment. We ask that you try to avoid last-minute cancellations whenever possible.
The best way to remove decay-causing plaque is by brushing and cleaning between your teeth every day, twice a day, with a soft-bristled brush.
Make sure the size and shape of your brush allow you to reach all areas easily. Use toothpaste that contains fluoride, which helps protect your teeth from decay. A fluoride mouth rinse, in conjunction with brushing and flossing, can also help prevent tooth decay.
Another important procedure is to clean between the teeth once a day with floss or interdental cleaners; this removes plaque from between the teeth that the toothbrush can't reach, and is a key element in preventing gum disease.
We also stress the importance of eating a balanced diet and having regular dental checkups to keep teeth healthy and your smile always looking its best.
Four out of five people are walking around with periodontal disease (gum disease), and they don't even know. Because gum disease is often painless in the early stages, many people ignore or don't notice the early signs. Since you could have periodontal disease without evident symptoms, it is essential to come in for regular dental check-ups and periodontal examinations. That way, we can help detect and correct the problems caused by periodontal disease
Symptoms of gum disease include:
That depends on the state of your dental health. For patients with healthy gums, little or no history of decay, good home care, and no significant medical conditions, we can usually help you maintain optimal dental health with cleanings and check-ups twice a year. However, everyone is different, and some patients may need more frequent cleanings or certain dental procedures. After performing a comprehensive dental exam, we will discuss your treatment needs and options, develop a customized treatment plan, and discuss all of your treatment options and the advantages and disadvantages of each one.
In a word – Yes. Regular flossing loosens food particles in the tight spaces where your toothbrush can't reach, gets rid of plaque build-up that toothbrushes can't remove, and exercises your gum tissues. These actions all help to prevent gum disease.
Bad breath (halitosis), while an unpleasant and often embarrassing condition, is usually avoidable and treatable. It can be caused by improper dental hygiene, lifestyle, or a dental condition.
Maintaining good oral health – at home as well as through regular cleanings and dental checkups – is essential to reducing bad breath. Brushing and flossing daily is critical because food particles that remain in the mouth collect bacteria, which in turn cause bad breath. Without putting too fine a point on it, food that collects between the teeth, on the tongue, and around the gums can rot, leaving an unpleasant odor. Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove food debris and plaque, and brush your tongue as well. Use floss or an interdental cleaner once a day to clean between teeth. For our patients who need extra help in controlling plaque, we often recommend using a special antimicrobial mouth rinse.
Bad breath can also be a by-product of what you eat (such as onions or garlic); foods that have a strong odor convey that odor through the air we exhale as they are being digested and eliminated by the body. Even if you brush, floss, and use mouthwash, this only masks the odor temporarily until the food is eliminated. Tobacco products also cause bad breath. If you use tobacco, come to us for tips on kicking the habit.
A dry mouth (xerostomia), a decrease in saliva flow, is a condition that can cause halitosis (more details follow below). One of the jobs of saliva is to cleanse the mouth and remove particles that may cause odor, so a decrease in saliva flow becomes a problem. A dry mouth may be caused by various medications, salivary gland problems, or continuously breathing through the mouth. If you suffer from dry mouth, we may prescribe artificial saliva or suggest you suck on sugarless candy to induce saliva flow and increase your fluid intake
There are Many medical disorders can affect your breath, such as a respiratory tract infection, chronic sinusitis, postnasal drip, chronic bronchitis, diabetes, gastrointestinal disturbance, and liver or kidney ailment. If an exam reveals that your mouth is healthy, we might refer you to your family doctor or a specialist to determine the cause of bad breath.
If you think you have constant bad breath, keep a log of the foods you eat and make a list of medications you take (some medications may play a role in creating mouth odors). Tell us if you've had any surgery or illness since your last appointment. If you find you are constantly using a breath freshener to hide unpleasant mouth odor, come see us for an examination, as this could signal an underlying medical or dental condition of which halitosis is a major symptom.
Reduced saliva flow – or dry mouth – can be caused by several conditions. It doesn't sound very serious, but if left untreated, a dry mouth can damage your teeth and gums. Some medications can lead to dry mouths, such as antihistamines, decongestants, painkillers, and diuretics. We can help find the source of your dry mouth and recommend methods to restore moisture to your mouth once the cause is determined, such as artificial saliva, sucking on sugarless hard candy, and increasing fluid intake.
Discolorations can be caused by staining, aging, or chemical damage to teeth. Smokers and people who drink coffee or tea regularly accelerate discolouration and require cleaning more often. This is among the most common reasons for teeth whitening.
The pain of tooth sensitivity can be sharp and sudden and shoot deep into the nerve endings of your teeth.
This discomfort felt in one or more teeth is triggered by hot, cold, sweet, or sour foods and drinks, tooth grinding, or even by breathing cold air.
The cause of sensitive teeth is the exposure of the underlying layer of your teeth (dentin) as a result of receding gum tissue (the protective covering of the tooth roots.) Many factors may lead to sensitive teeth, including brushing too hard, tooth decay near the gum line, the recession of the gums, or plaque build-up.
We want you to look your best, and whitening your teeth is one way we do that. However, some people can experience a slight increase in tooth sensitivity during the process, so we recommend using sensitivity toothpaste for a week before starting and during the whitening process. We offer in-office and take-home whitening options depending on what works best for you.
In some cases, simply reshaping (contouring) the front teeth may produce a dramatic result to correct jagged, chipped, or slightly uneven teeth. We utilize sanding discs and creativity to create a natural look with existing teeth. In other cases, an additional cosmetic consultation may be required to determine if additional treatments, like bonding or veneers, would create a better long-term outcome.
To help us identify any underlying conditions and perform a complete examination of new patients. We take a full set of digital X-rays on your first visit; if you have had a full set taken within the last year at another dental office, we ask that you have those digital X-rays transferred to us. Depending on your overall health in general and oral health in particular, you may only need digital X-rays once a year. But some people will require them more frequently depending on their continued treatment, diet, oral hygiene, and/or health-related issues.
Dental sealants are a preventive dentistry measure that protects molars from developing cavities. They are a polymer resin that is brushed on the chewing surface of your adult teeth and then bonded to the tooth surface with a high-intensity light.
Because your teeth have many grooves on the chewing surface, food particles and bacteria can accumulate in these grooves. As the bacteria consume the food particles, they release an acid that destroys tooth enamel. The result is a cavity. The sealant acts as a protective coating for the pits and grooves. They fill the deep grooves with acid-resistant resin, deny the bacteria a place to live, and render the tooth surface more cleanable. This process is considerably less expensive than filling a cavity.
There are multiple options for replacing missing teeth: removable partial, removable, or retained dentures, fixed bridges, or dental implant(s). Every patient’s situation is different, and we will discuss all your treatment options during your visit.
| Monday | 10:00am – 5:00pm |
| Wednesday | 10:00am – 5:00pm |
| Friday | 10:00am – 5:00pm |
| Tuesday | 9:00am – 4:00pm |
| Thursday | 9:00am – 4:00pm |
| Saturday | 9:00am – 4:00pm |
1747 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Suite 100
Washington, DC 20006
Map & Directions
Phone: (202) 545-6336
9570 Burke Road
Unit A
Burke, VA 22015
Map & Directions
Phone: (571) 374-8000