Planning Your First Visit
Port Angeles, WA
Planning Your First Visit provided by Stephen J. Turella, DMD
in Port Angeles, WA at Turella Oral Surgery
 SCHEDULING
We understand that taking time off work or school for oral surgery services is challenging. We will do our best to arrange your appointments in a way that is efficient and minimizes the amount of time spent in our office.
We offer appointment times Tuesday through Thursday from 8am to 4:30pm and Fridays from 8am to 2pm. As a rule, most treatment/procedure appointments, especially those involving sedation, are scheduled in the morning. If the patient is under 18, they must be accompanied by an adult to all appointments.
TYPES OF APPOINTMENTS
There are three primary types of appointments in our office: Consultation appointments, Treatment appointments and follow-up/Post-op appointments. Occasionally, when your clinical situation is amenable to it, consultation and treatment appointments can be done simultaneously. What each type of appointment entails is described in detail below.
CONSULTATION APPOINTMENTS:
We often recommend that your first appointment is a consultation appointment, where we complete a dental examination which will include taking or reviewing necessary diagnostic imaging.
Treatment options will be discussed including their risks and benefits. If treatment is more complicated, requiring multiple steps and or coordination with a restorative dentist, there will be discussion of the relative timing and sequence of the procedure(s).
What our office will need:
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Completed patient registration forms
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Patient's Insurance Information
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Signed HIPPA forms
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Completed Medical History Forms
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List of Current Medications
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Contact information for your other Medical Providers (Primary Care, Oncology, Cardiology, etc.)
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Referral Form from your dentist indicating requested treatment
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Any Pertinent imaging from your General Dentist |
Discussion of cost, payment options and insurance protocol
After the consultation appointment, when we have a better idea of your specific treatment needs you will meet with our financial coordinator. They will discuss your insurance coverage (if applicable) and/or financial assistance options, including Care Credit.
We are in the network with the following insurance companies
Delta Dental, MetLife, United Concordia, Cingna Medicaid (for patients up to 20 years of age). We are currently in the process of applying to be “in network” for Veteran's administration and Medicare.
TREATMENT APPOINTMENTS:
This appointment is when you have the previously discussed procedure (biopsy, implant, extraction, graft, etc.) completed. What to expect and prepare for depends greatly on the anesthesia (if any) that you choose to have.
If treatment is with sedation
If sedation is part of this procedure, you want to refrain from eating or drinking anything after midnight the night before and you will need to come with an escort. We recommend you wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.
What can your escort do during the procedure
Your escort can relax in our waiting area, enjoying a selection of magazines and our free Wi-Fi. They may also leave us with a good contact number and leave the office during your procedure. We will call them when the procedure is complete so they can join the patient in the recovery room.
Sedation options you'll have in our office
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None/Local Anesthesia
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Valium and Nitrous Oxide
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IV Sedation
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General Anesthesia (w/ a board certified Anesthesiologist or CRNA) |
FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS:
It is customary for our office to offer or schedule follow-up appointments for our patients. The number of follow-ups is dependent of the type of procedure performed. These give Dr. Turella the ability to evaluate your healing and help you address any post-op concerns you may have. There is no additional cost for these visits. It is important if you have any concerns following treatment including but not limited to heavy bleeding, prolonged numbness, adverse reaction to a prescribed medication, excessive swelling or excessive pain that you contact our office immediately. Any existing patient will have contact with Dr. Turella directly, even after hours to address any concerns. |
