What happens at a first dental visit?
At a first dental visit the dentist asks about your health, medicines and concerns, examines your teeth, gums, bite and soft tissues, and takes X-rays or photos only if they are needed. You then hear what was found and, if treatment is advisable, receive a written, itemised plan with the alternatives. At Creative Arts in Dubai nothing is started that you have not agreed to, apart from relieving pain if you came in with it.
Who treats you here Dr. Duaa Ameen General Dentist · Dr. Khalid Saeed Co-founder & Dentist · Dr. Marina Antoniuk Dentist
Every dentist’s licence can be checked on the DHA Sheryan medical directory.
What happens at a first visit to Creative Arts?
The order can vary with what brings you in. If you arrive in pain, the dentist deals with that first and keeps the rest for another visit if needed.
Booking
Book online, by phone on +971 4 342 4444 or on WhatsApp at +971 56 677 7537. Say whether this is a check-up, a specific problem or a cosmetic question, and mention anything that makes visits hard for you, such as anxiety or mobility needs.
BeforeArrival and forms
A short registration and a medical history form: conditions, medicines, allergies, pregnancy. Arrive a little early so this does not eat into your appointment time.
On arrivalThe conversation
The dentist asks what you would like help with and what you have noticed: pain, sensitivity, bleeding gums, a tooth you avoid chewing on, something you dislike about your smile.
StartThe examination
Each tooth and existing filling or crown, the gums, your bite and jaw, and the soft tissues of the mouth. Our page on the dental check-up describes each part.
ExaminationRecords if needed
X-rays only where they would show something the examination cannot; photos or a 3D intraoral scan where they help explain or plan. Previous X-rays you bring may reduce what is needed.
If indicatedFindings and your written plan
What is healthy, what needs attention and how urgent each item is. If treatment is advisable you receive a written, itemised plan with costs and alternatives, and time to think.
Before you leave
What should you bring to your first dental appointment?
None of this is compulsory, but each item makes the visit more useful.
| Bring | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Emirates ID or passport | For registration, and for any insurance claim |
| Your insurance card, if you plan to use it | So the clinic can tell you what your policy may cover before treatment; check the details with your insurer too |
| A list of medicines and conditions | Blood thinners, diabetes, osteoporosis medicines, some heart conditions and pregnancy change how dental treatment is planned |
| Previous X-rays or scans | Recent digital images from another dentist can often be used, which may mean fewer new ones. Ask your previous clinic to email them |
| Your dental history | Past root canals, implants, braces or gum treatment, and roughly when. Old treatment plans are useful too |
| Your questions, written down | It is easy to forget them once you are in the chair |
| Your glasses, if you wear them for reading | So you can read the forms and your plan comfortably |
How long does a first dental visit take?
A first visit usually takes longer than a routine check-up, because the dentist is building a baseline: your history, a full examination and any records needed. If you are coming about something specific, such as a cosmetic question or a broken tooth, the time depends on what has to be looked at. When you book, ask how long to allow, and say if you have a fixed time to be back at work or to collect children.
A cleaning is not automatically part of the first visit. If your gums need it, the dentist may suggest booking one, and for heavier tartar more than one visit can be needed. Our guide to a first cleaning after years explains what to expect if it has been a while.
Will I be treated on the first visit?
If you come in with pain, a broken tooth or swelling, the priority is to find the cause and relieve it, and that may mean treatment at the same visit, with your agreement. For anything planned, such as fillings that are not urgent, crowns, implants, veneers or orthodontics, the first visit ends with information, not treatment. You receive the plan, you can ask questions, and you decide when, and whether, to go ahead.
That is deliberate. Planned treatment is easier to accept when you have had time to read the plan, check the alternatives and, if you wish, get a second opinion. Our guide on how to read a dental treatment plan explains each line you will see.
How is a first visit different for cosmetic, implant or braces questions?
If you come with a specific goal rather than for a general check, the first visit still starts with your health and an examination, because cosmetic work, implants and orthodontics all depend on healthy teeth and gums. What is added depends on the question:
- Cosmetic questions (veneers, a Hollywood Smile, bonding, whitening): photos of your smile, a discussion of what you would like to change, and the options from conservative to more extensive. A digital smile design and a physical mock-up come at a later planning stage, before anything irreversible. Our smile design consultation page explains that stage.
- Missing teeth or implants: the dentist looks at the gap, the gums and your bite, and explains when a 3D CBCT scan is needed to measure the bone before any implant is planned.
- Crooked teeth or bite problems: an orthodontic consultation with one of our specialist orthodontists, who explain which records are needed to plan braces or Invisalign.
Nervous about dentists? Say so when you book
Telling us in advance lets the dentist allow more time, explain each step before it happens and agree a stop signal with you. Many people find that a first visit with no treatment, just a conversation and a look, makes later visits much easier. Our page on dental anxiety explains the options, including sedation for treatment where it is suitable.
Languages, children and other practical questions
- Languages. The clinic serves patients in English and Arabic. If you would prefer another language, ask when you book which dentists speak it.
- Children. Children are seen for check-ups and children's dentistry. For a very young child, our guide to a baby's first dental visit explains when to start, and a parent stays with the child.
- Insurance. Coverage depends on your policy. Bring your card and ask the clinic and your insurer before treatment starts; our dental insurance guide explains how dental cover usually works.
- Where we are. Creative Arts is at 614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai, open daily from 10:00 to 20:00. Ask about parking when you book.
- Pregnancy. Tell us if you are pregnant. Check-ups and needed treatment can usually go ahead, and the dentist will discuss which X-rays, if any, are needed.
Book a check-up or consultation as a new patient: a full examination, X-rays only where needed and a written plan before any treatment.
Dental check-upWhat should you have when you leave?
By the end of a first visit you should be able to answer four questions: what is healthy in my mouth, what needs attention, how urgent each item is, and what my options are. If treatment is advisable, the written plan should show the diagnosis, the treatment for each tooth, the materials, the number of visits, the cost of each item and the alternatives. If no treatment is needed, you should know when your next check-up is due and why that interval suits you.
At Creative Arts, general check-ups and first visits are carried out by dentists including Dr. Duaa Ameen and Dr. Marina Antoniuk, and cosmetic or implant consultations by dentists such as Dr. Khalid Saeed. If you are new to the city, our guide for people who are new to Dubai and looking for a dentist covers records, insurance and planning ahead for emergencies.