First Visit
Your child’s initial visit to Michael J. Leach D.D.S. Pediatric Dentistry will be positive and fun for both you and your child!
After you check-in and finish any remaining paperwork, one of our team members will take you and your child on a tour of our office, introduce you to the rest of the team and show you our treatment areas. We know that a lot of questions can arise prior to your child’s first visit so we have compiled the top asked questions regarding initial visits for you below. Feel free to click on a question below or give us a call at Michael J. Leach D.D.S. Pediatric Dentistry Phone Number (770) 521-8855 for Alpharetta, or (770) 663-3848 for Canton.
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Schedule your child’s appointment today!
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What should I bring to the initial visit?
Your initial visit is designed to be fun and set the groundwork for additional appointments. In order to reduce the amount of anxiety and stress leading up to the appointment, we have designed an online form process that is simple and straightforward. Once you fill out the necessary paperwork online, all you need to bring with you is a great attitude! Our team takes care of the rest.
Do you accept dental insurance
We accept most insurances, but we are an out-of-network provider. However, we do file to your primary insurance as a courtesy to you. During checkout, we will estimate the total that your insurance will cover and you will be responsible for the remaining portion that day. If your insurance company covers more than we estimated, we will gladly send you a refund check for the amount.
My child may be nervous, can you help?
Yes! Being nervous about going to the dentist is a normal response but you can assure your child that there is nothing to be nervous about. Honey, our therapy dog, or Maisy, our Canton therapy dog, will be in the office and can lie with your child during their appointment if they wish! Additionally, you and your child can take a virtual tour of our office to see how fun and kid friendly it is. If you wish, you may also visit our office prior to your appointment. Your child can get acclimated to the atmosphere by playing with trains or looking at the fish aquarium in the waiting area. Our team uses fun, kid-friendly wording when discussing procedures and tools, i.e. Mr. Slurpee, wiggle teeth, etc. We also use “Show and Tell” to help ease anxiety/nervousness. Our team will show your child all of the tools that will be used during their appointment and describe what each does using those kid-friendly phases. Your child is allowed to touch and feel the tools and ask whatever questions they might have! If you have any additional questions, our team would be happy to answer them so give us a call at 770-521-8855.
What type of appointment should I schedule for my child? (Lap Exam vs Dental Health Check-up)
For children age 3 and under, we recommend a lap-exam if it is their first dental visit. During this visit, Dr. Leach will have the parent come back with the child and check the development of the child’s gums, teeth, and their overall oral health. Starting around age 2 ½ – 3 years old, we recommend a dental health check-up with our hygienists and Dr. Leach. During this visit, one of our hygienists will escort your child to the back, while you relax up front in a massaging chair and enjoy a drink from our coffee/tea bar. The hygienist will clean and polish your child’s teeth, take x-rays if necessary, and apply fluoride. After completion, Dr. Leach will exam their teeth for cavities, proper development, etc. and have you come back to the exam room. This will be your chance to ask Dr. Leach any questions that you have in addition to him offering his professional opinion on additional work that may be needed. A dental health check-up will only be scheduled if a lap exam has been completed prior and your child is over 3 years old. If you child has already seen a dentist prior to joining the Michael J. Leach DDS Pediatric Dentistry family, we will recommend a dental health check-up. Give us a call at 770-521-8855 to schedule an appointment today.