Office Visits

Thank you for choosing our practice for your consultation. We are all looking forward to meeting you at your first visit.

Every smile starts with an initial consultation!

Your initial consultation will give you the opportunity to meet our team, learn more about orthodontics, receive a complete initial exam, and find out which treatment options will best meet your needs.

Upon your arrival, our Scheduling Coordinator will greet you and introduce you to our innovative computerized check-in process. This system keeps us running on schedule and minimizes your waiting time.

Our “open bay” treatment area allows us to provide a fun, interactive environment for our patients and their families. Parents are always welcome to accompany their children to the treatment area and observe the appointment first hand. Most of our parents prefer to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and browse through our magazines in our bright, comfortable reception area. We’ve been told numerous times that we have the best selection of magazines!

Kristi, our Treatment Coordinator will ask you some general questions before introducing you to Dr. Ashraf. The doctor will evaluate your facial balance, the alignment of your jaws, the positions of your teeth, the function of your bite and jaw joints. The doctor will determine the optimal timing and strategy for treatment and various treatment options and answer any questions you may have regarding the exam and orthodontics.

The doctor treats each patient individually by listening to their orthodontic concerns, and educating them about their orthodontic problem(s), they will then Our goal is for you to leave our office fully informed and confident in the selection of our practice for your orthodontic needs. You will receive an informational package at the end of your appointment. On this first visit, at least following the questions will be answered:

     ●    Is orthodontic treatment indicated?

    ●    When will the treatment start?

    ●    About how long will the treatment take?

    ●    What do these appliances do and what do they look like?

    ●    How much will it cost?

    ●    How can I pay for it?

    ●    What about my insurance?

    ●    How often are my appointments?

    ●    What can I expect?

    ●    What happens next?

 If you have additional questions after your visit please do not hesitate to call us.

Our greatest goal is to give you the healthy, straight, beautiful smile that you've always wanted. We understand that choosing to receive orthodontic care is a big decision. Our practice will work with you every step of the way to make sure that your orthodontic care is exceptional. Our practice utilizes the latest technology, offering a variety of safe and gentle treatment options to give you the customized, individual care you deserve.

Diagnostic Records and Treatment Plan Analysis

Before orthodontic treatment can begin, various diagnostic records are needed. Dr. Ashraf will carefully review and analyze these records in order to devise and confirm a treatment plan that best suits your orthodontic needs. The doctor then shares their proposed treatment plan with your general dentist. This communication is crucial in order to ensure that your general dental health is considered, and that your orthodontic treatment is coordinated with any other treatment that your general dentist has planned for you.

We offer the convenience of state-of-the-art radiographic and photography equipment, which provides high quality diagnostic information for the doctor, with minimal amounts of radiation for the patient. Having this equipment onsite means no inconvenient trips to outside laboratories, fewer appointments to make, and no interruptions of your treatment.

We will refer you to an outside lab for 3D x-rays if you are a candidate. In order to minimize radiation exposure to our patients, we reserve the Three Dimensional Imaging (dental CT) for cases with dental impactions, craniofacial syndrome and anomalies, joint problems, or for those who require jaw surgery.

Scheduling Appointments

Periodic visits are a part of orthodontic treatment. These successive visits allow us to monitor your treatment progress, your growth and development, and make the necessary adjustments to your appliances.

 We have devoted considerable time and effort designing our scheduling system to ensure quality and efficiency. Our goals are:

      1) To provide quality treatment

     2) To monitor oral hygiene

     3) To see each patient on time

     4) To complete treatment within the estimated time

     5) To accommodate our patients’ needs

      ●     We understand and appreciate the importance of school. Therefore, we have designed our schedule to maximize the after school hours. While we strive to be accommodating.

      ●     We understand how busy everyone’s life is and value your time. Our objective is to minimize the time you spend in our office while maximizing the procedure scheduled. Please help us accomplish this by being on time to your appointments with clean teeth. For your convenience we have tooth-brushing stations available for your use before your appointment. Please arrive a few minutes early to your appointment if you need to brush.

      ●     Cancelled and repair appointments will be scheduled as soon as possible to  avoid treatment delays. However, please be aware that prime times are usually booked out for at least 6 to 8 weeks in advance. Sooner appointments during non-prime time are available and recommended to avoid delays in your treatment progress.

Visiting the dentist during orthodontic treatment

It is very important that you continue to visit your family dentist once every six months, even during your orthodontic treatment, for teeth cleanings and routine dental checkups. If extra dental care is needed, we will be happy to coordinate with your family dentist to make sure that you are receiving the best care possible.

Office Sterilization

Safety and cleanliness is a priority in our practice. We subscribe to the standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administrators (OSHA) and we follow the State of California Infection Control Guidelines.

Our goal is to provide the highest level of safety for us and for all our patients. You can rest assured that universal precautions are taken and that the following procedures are performed routinely.

       ●   Autoclave Sterilization: Dry heat sterilizes all instruments after use with each patient,       killing all organisms with extreme heat. Our sterilizers are tested weekly to ensure their efficacy.

       ●   Individual set ups: Sterilized instruments are stored in sealed pouches that are opened just prior to use.

       ●   Disposable items: Whenever possible, disposable items are used and discarded once exposed to the treatment environment.

       ●   Disinfectants:All surfaces are wiped with a hospital grade disinfectant to ensure cleanliness and avoid cross-contamination.

       ●   Training: Our team receives annual training on the latest sterilization techniques and protocol.

Convenient & secure online services with Sesame 24/7

We value you as our patient and appreciate your commitment to continued oral health. We understand the importance of providing you online convenience to manage your patient information, which is why we are excited to partner with Sesame Communications in our effort to stay connected.

Using our convenient online services is easy. You simply log into your account from our website, where you have access to all your patient information, online 24-7, in a safe, secure environment that exceeds HIPAA requirements.

Email and text message reminders

Customize how you receive appointment reminders with email, text messaging, and/or voicemail. You can also download a reminder for use in your calendar so you don’t forget your next appointment. After you log into your account profile, you can confirm appointments online, and reduce reminders altogether.

Financial pages

Just like our appointment reminders, you can customize how you receive financial reminders through email or voicemail. After you log into your account profile, you can review and print your financial ledgers without having to call our office.

 

View images

Access and review your dental images and X-rays online from the comfort of your own home.

Share your smile with family and friends

If applicable, share your Invisalign® ClinCheck® via email and Facebook. Show your family and friends how easy it is to improve their smile, too!

Post-appointment feedback

After your appointment, we’ll send you a link to an online survey where you can let us know how we’re doing and what could use improvement.

 All you need is a personal email account, then call or email our office, and we will gladly provide you with your own personal login information.

You are not only our patient but also a member of our extended family. Thank you for choosing us to be your orthodontic care provider.