How often should I go to the dentist?

Two dental visits a year are recommended for most patients. In a typical check-up, patients are seen by both a hygienist and a dentist. The hygienist cleans and polishes your teeth, talks to you about caring for your teeth and answers your questions. The dentist reviews the cleaning done by the hygienist, conducts an oral exam of your gums and teeth, diagnoses any oral health problems, orders X-rays (if appropriate) and make treatment recommendations. Check-ups are important not only for cleaning, but to find any problems early.

Why are twice a year appointments necessary?

It’s important to see your dentist twice a year:

So that your dentist can check for problems that you might not see or feel
To allow your dentist to find early signs of decay (decay doesn’t become visible or cause pain until it reaches more advanced stages).
To treat any other oral health problems found. Generally, the earlier a problem is found, the more manageable it is.