New Hanover County · Since 1987
Family Dentist in Wilmington, NC
A cleaning removes what brushing cannot reach and gives us a look at everything before it becomes expensive. It is the cheapest appointment in dentistry and the one that prevents the rest.
What to expect
Our new patient exam is more thorough than a standard recall. It includes an oral cancer screening, a periodontal charting, a tooth-by-tooth assessment, a TMJ and bite evaluation, and an aesthetic consultation if you want one.
If there is gum disease present, a standard cleaning is the wrong treatment. We will explain the difference between a cleaning and periodontal therapy rather than quietly doing one and billing the other.
Why Wilmington patients come to us
Our office sits on Physicians Drive in the S. 17th Street medical district, next door to Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
Consistent six-month attendance is the norm here, which means we are usually catching problems at the stage where a filling is still an option.
The Cargo District is close enough to walk from, and much of the 17th Street medical corridor sends its own staff here.
Wilmington's employer base is unusually well insured for a city this size, between Novant Health, PPD, Corning, Live Oak Bank and nCino.
Our patients come from every part of the city: Forest Hills and Pine Valley, the historic district downtown, Mayfaire and Landfall out east, Monkey Junction and Riverlights to the south.
We see patients from across Wilmington and the surrounding area, including the Riverwalk and Battleship NORTH CAROLINA, Airlie Gardens, UNCW and the 28401 and 28403 and 28405 and 28409 and 28411 and 28412 ZIP codes.
New Hanover County is the built-out core of the region, growing around one percent a year, with roughly 21 percent of residents over 65 and the highest concentration of employer dental coverage in southeastern North Carolina.
This is a low-commitment place to start, and it is often the appointment that tells us whether anything larger is worth discussing.
Most Wilmington neighborhoods reach us in under twenty minutes, and we have been the practice on 17th Street since 1987.
This is for you if
- It has been six months, or six years, since your last visit
- Bleeding when you brush or floss
- Persistent bad breath
- Tartar you can see or feel behind the lower front teeth
- A new move to the area and no dentist yet
Afterwards
Gums may be tender for a day if there was a lot of buildup. Brush twice, floss once, and come back on the interval we recommend rather than the one your calendar prefers. Some patients need three or four month intervals, and that is a clinical call.
Follow-up visits are short and we will schedule them at the start or end of the day if that works better around your week.
Questions we get asked
Does a cleaning hurt?
Not usually. If there is significant buildup or inflamed tissue it can be tender, and we can numb the area.
Why do I need x-rays every time?
You do not. Bitewings on a routine interval and a full series every several years is the standard. We take what is diagnostically necessary.
Do you see patients from Wilmington?
Regularly. Wilmington is part of our core service area in New Hanover County, and most Wilmington neighborhoods reach us in under twenty minutes, and we have been the practice on 17th Street since 1987.
What are your hours?
Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, and Friday, 8:00am to 12:00pm. Outside those hours, leave a message or use the appointment request form and we will come back to you with the first available time.
Family Dentist · Wilmington
One trip. Everybody seen.
We block consecutive appointments so a family visit is one morning rather than three separate afternoons.
- General, cosmetic, orthodontic and surgical care under one roof
- Consecutive family scheduling on request
- Sealants and preventive care for children
- Most major dental plans accepted
Nervous child? Tell us before the appointment and we will slow the whole thing down.
Request an appointment
We reply the next business day.
Please do not include Protected Health Information. For anything urgent, call (910) 762-0958.
