The Five Levels of Dental Care
we offer people in our dental practice.
At Howard Dental Center, we are here to help you to discover what you want for your dental health and we are committed to helping you get there. In other words, we help you to become as healthy as YOU want to be. Instead of telling you how healthy you should be, we will try to help you understand your choices about dental health and then let you make a free and well informed choice. Your first choice in this regard is how you would like to begin with us. There are five levels on which people may choose to start in our practice:
Level 1. URGENT CARE. People in crisis or with an emergency problem such as pain, swelling, bleeding or severe headaches or facial pain need immediate help. We see emergencies immediately, or whenever possible.
Level 2. REMEDIAL CARE. People who choose this level of care desire treatment only when something breaks or becomes uncomfortable. Generally, people at this level prefer short term, quick exams, screening for more obvious advanced problems. They usually want to correct immediate problems with as little effort and cost as possible, even though the treatment may not be a long term solution. Folks at this level are not yet ready for a comprehensive examination and a long term treatment plan. Their motto might be: “Let’s just take care of what is wrong today and not worry about tomorrow.” These people may be counting on fate or luck to see them through, at least at the present time.
Level 3. SELF-CARE. People choose this level of care when they are serious about keeping their teeth and health for a lifetime in good or excellent comfort, function and appearance. People at this level choose to have a comprehensive examination, fully evaluating gums and supporting tissues, teeth, and the dynamic relationship of the jaws to the continued health of the dental system. During the examination process, we work together to formulate a long-term Master Plan for their preferred future. However, due to current life circumstances or beliefs, they will follow a holding plan until they can proceed to a higher level. They are interested in what they can do, personally, to improve their dental health and arrest active disease processes, but are not yet ready to commence with major treatment. People at this level are monitored with frequent preventive maintenance visits with our hygienist.
Level 4. COMPLETE DENTISTRY. People at this level are similar to the people described above. They choose to have a comprehensive examination and formulate a long-term treatment plan designed to achieve a dental future of choice, not chance. They are ready to start complete treatment.
Level 5. WELLNESS RESOURCE. People here are in excellent health and see the relationship between dental health and life long youth and beauty. They see the important relationship between oral health and systemic health. These people are interested in highly effective levels of nutrition, exercise, and the maintenance of a youthful, healthy lifestyle. Our intention is to assist these people in finding others in our community who are like-minded to help them attain ever higher levels of personal well-being, health and fitness.
We hope these levels of care make sense to you. It is common for people to begin at a lower level and progress to higher levels over time. The choice is yours. If we can help you with your decision regarding the level most comfortable for you to begin, please call us at 920-434-4165.