Greenwood Dental’s Burlington office is at 62 Second Avenue, Suite E, inside Northwest Park, a few minutes from where Route 128 meets Route 3 and the Middlesex Turnpike. Finding the building is the easy part. Most new patients are really wondering what the first appointment involves, what it will cost, and how much of their care can stay in one place.
This guide answers those questions, from the paperwork to the payment options.
What Happens at a First Appointment?
Expect the first visit to take longer than a routine cleaning. A new-patient exam is a baseline, so the dentist needs a full picture before recommending anything.
You will be asked about your health history and any medications you take. Those answers matter more than people assume. Blood thinners, diabetes, osteoporosis medications and certain heart conditions can all change how a dentist plans an extraction, an implant or sedation.
The exam itself generally looks at far more than cavities. Your gums, bite, jaw joints, existing fillings and crowns, and the soft tissue of your mouth and throat are all part of it. X-rays are taken based on what the dentist sees and what records you already have, and the office has 3D imaging available when a flat x-ray cannot answer the question.
If you are coming from another practice, ask them to send your recent x-rays and records before your visit. It can spare you a repeat set of images.
How Often Will You Need to Come Back?
Twice a year is the familiar answer, but it is not a rule written for everyone. The American Dental Association recommends regular visits at intervals your dentist sets based on your own risk. Research from the University of Michigan found that people with risk factors such as smoking or diabetes benefited from more frequent cleanings, while low-risk patients did about as well with fewer.
The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence takes the same risk-based view, allowing up to 24 months between checkups for adults with very low risk. In practice, most patients land somewhere between every three months and once a year. Gum disease, a history of frequent cavities, or a mouth full of older restorations usually means shorter gaps.
Plenty of adults fall behind on that. CDC figures show about 65.5% of U.S. adults had a dental exam or cleaning in the past year as of 2023, which leaves roughly one in three who didn’t. If that’s you, the first visit is simply where you restart.
Paying for Care, With or Without Insurance
We accept most major dental insurance, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Delta Dental, GEHA and United Concordia. An insurance coordinator works with your carrier to help you use the benefits you already pay for.
No insurance? The in-house membership plan was built for that situation:
- Adults (13 and older): $449 per year
- Children (12 and under): $429 per year
Each plan covers two cleanings, exams, needed x-rays, one emergency exam and 15% off other treatment. The children’s plan adds fluoride. Patients with gum disease can ask about the perio membership, which includes three to four periodontal maintenance cleanings a year.
Larger treatment can be split into monthly payments through CareCredit, Sunbit, Proceed Finance or Cherry. Payment for cosmetic and restorative work is due at the time of service, so it helps to sort out financing before the appointment rather than at the desk.
What Gets Done Here, and What That Means for You
A lot of dental care involves being sent across town for the next step. The office is set up to keep much of that under one roof, with on-site 3D imaging and an in-house lab.
Treatments offered here include:
- Dental implants, from a single tooth to All-on-4 and fixed full-mouth options
- Root canals, extractions and dentures
- Porcelain veneers, crowns, whitening and Invisalign
- TMJ treatment, including BOTOX for clenching and grinding
- Pediatric and family dentistry
Dr. Slava Abdelrehim earned his DDS from New York University College of Dentistry in 1999. He has trained in occlusion and TMJ therapy at The Pankey Institute, in full-mouth reconstruction under Dr. Ted Morgan, and in conscious sedation through DOCS.
If the Dental Chair Makes You Nervous
You are far from alone, and it is worth saying so at the start. Sedation dentistry is available for patients who find treatment stressful, and knowing about your anxiety ahead of time lets the team plan the visit around it instead of reacting halfway through.
Some people only need a slower pace and a clear explanation before each step. Others do better with sedation for longer procedures. Neither is unusual.
One Practice for the Whole Family
Parents often end up driving to one office for themselves and another for the kids. Here, children and adults are seen in the same practice, and the children’s membership plan makes routine visits predictable for families without coverage.
Common Questions From New Patients
Q1. Do you accept walk-in patients?
A1. Yes, walk-ins are accepted. Calling ahead is still the better move, because the team can tell you how long the wait may be and get ready for what you need.
Q2. Are dental x-rays safe?
A2. Dental x-rays use low doses of radiation, and dentists decide which images you need based on your history and exam rather than taking them on a fixed routine. Tell the team if you are pregnant or might be.
Q3. What should I bring to my first visit?
A3. Bring your insurance card if you have one, a list of your medications and doses, and the contact details of your previous dentist. Recent x-rays sent ahead of time can save you a repeat set.
Q4. I don’t have dental insurance. Can I still be seen?
A4. Yes. The in-house membership plan costs $449 a year for adults and $429 for children, and it covers cleanings, exams, needed x-rays and one emergency exam, plus 15% off other treatment.
Q5. Do you treat children?
A5. Yes. Pediatric dentistry is part of the family care offered here, so parents and kids can be seen in the same practice.
Q6. Can I get dental implants at this location?
A6. Yes. Implant treatment is offered here, from single implants to implant-supported dentures and fixed full-arch options such as All-on-4. The office has 3D imaging for planning.
Q7. Is sedation available for anxious patients?
A7. Yes. Sedation dentistry is offered, and Dr. Abdelrehim is certified in conscious sedation. Mention your anxiety when you call so the visit can be planned with it in mind.
Q8. Which insurance plans do you take?
A8. Most major plans, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Delta Dental, GEHA and United Concordia. If your carrier isn’t listed, call the office and the insurance coordinator can check for you.
Why the First Exam Matters
Gum disease and early decay rarely hurt. By the time a tooth aches, the problem has usually been building for months. A thorough first exam records where your teeth, gums and bite stand today, so the small changes that show up at later visits can be spotted and treated while they’re still minor. That baseline is the real value of a first appointment, and it’s the reason long gaps between checkups tend to make the eventual treatment bigger, not smaller.
