What should a written dental treatment plan include?
A dental treatment plan should state the diagnosis for each problem, the teeth involved (in Dubai usually by two-digit FDI numbers), the treatment and material for each tooth, the order and number of visits, lab work and temporaries, the cost of each item, and the alternatives, including doing nothing. At Creative Arts in Dubai you receive this written, itemised plan before you commit to any treatment, and it is explained line by line.
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.
Why read your treatment plan line by line?
A treatment plan is more than a bill. It is the dentist's written answer to three questions: what is wrong, what should be done about it, and why this option rather than another. Reading it carefully lets you check that each treatment is linked to a diagnosis, that you understand the order of events, and that you know what you are agreeing to pay for.
It also makes comparison possible. Two plans can only be compared fairly if you can see which teeth each one treats, with which material, and what each includes. The sections below follow the order in which most plans are laid out.
What do the tooth numbers on a dental plan mean?
Most dentists in the UAE use the FDI two-digit system. The first digit is the quarter of the mouth, using your own right and left; the second digit counts from the middle front tooth backwards.
| First digit | Quarter of the mouth | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upper right (adult teeth) | 11 = upper right central incisor; 16 = upper right first molar; 18 = upper right wisdom tooth |
| 2 | Upper left (adult teeth) | 21 = upper left central incisor; 23 = upper left canine |
| 3 | Lower left (adult teeth) | 36 = lower left first molar; 38 = lower left wisdom tooth |
| 4 | Lower right (adult teeth) | 41 = lower right central incisor; 46 = lower right first molar |
| 5 to 8 | The same four quarters for baby teeth | 55 = upper right second baby molar; 75 = lower left second baby molar |
Second digit for adult teeth: 1 central incisor, 2 lateral incisor, 3 canine, 4 and 5 premolars, 6, 7 and 8 molars (8 is the wisdom tooth). "Right" and "left" are your right and left, not the dentist's.
Diagnosis: is every treatment linked to a finding?
Each item on a plan should trace back to a diagnosis you can understand, for example "36: deep decay under an old filling, close to the nerve" or "11 and 21: worn and chipped edges from grinding". Treatments without a stated reason are the first thing to ask about.
Ask to see the evidence: the X-ray showing the decay, the photo of the crack, the gum measurements behind a recommendation for deep cleaning. A good plan also separates problems that need treatment (decay, infection, gum disease, a broken tooth) from choices (whitening, veneers, replacing old fillings that are still sound). Both are legitimate; you just need to know which is which. If a plan seems larger than the problems you are aware of, our guide on how to tell whether dental treatment is necessary lists the questions to ask.
What does each section of a treatment plan tell you?
Headings vary between clinics, but most plans contain these parts. The right-hand column is the question that turns each line into something you can check.
| Section | What it should say | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnosis | The problem for each tooth or area, in plain words | What did you see, and can you show me on the X-ray or photo? |
| Treatment per tooth | The procedure, the tooth number and, for restorations, the surfaces involved | Why this treatment for this tooth, rather than a simpler one? |
| Material | For example composite, zirconia, lithium disilicate (E.max), feldspathic porcelain | Why this material here, and how long does it usually last? |
| Lab work | Which items are made in a dental laboratory, and where | Who makes it, and how is the shade matched? |
| Temporaries | Temporary crowns, veneers or fillings between visits | Will I have a temporary, and what if it comes off? |
| Phases and visits | The order of treatment and the number and length of appointments | What happens first, and how long between visits? |
| Diagnostics | X-rays, a 3D CBCT scan, photos, scans, models, a mock-up | Are these included or listed separately? |
| Anaesthesia or sedation | Local anaesthetic, or sedation where relevant | Who gives sedation, and what do I need to arrange? |
| Reviews and aftercare | Follow-up visits, a night guard, maintenance cleaning | Which follow-ups are included? |
| Alternatives | Other reasonable options, including monitoring or no treatment | What happens if I choose the alternative, or wait? |
What do phases, units and "per tooth" mean?
Phases. Larger plans are usually split into stages. A typical order is: first, urgent care (pain, infection, broken teeth); second, controlling disease (decay, gum treatment, hygiene); third, rebuilding (fillings, root canals, crowns, implants); and finally cosmetic work and long-term maintenance. Cosmetic work comes last because it needs healthy teeth and gums underneath. Phasing also lets you spread treatment, and cost, over time.
Units. In crown and bridge work, each tooth position counts as one unit. A three-unit bridge replacing one missing tooth has two crowns on the supporting teeth and one false tooth between them. A "10-unit" smile design means ten individual veneers or crowns.
Per tooth or per surface. Fillings are often described by the surfaces they cover, for example a two-surface filling on the biting and side surfaces of a molar. Cosmetic work is usually priced per tooth, so the number of teeth matters as much as the price of each.
Codes. Some plans also list procedure codes used for insurance claims. They are useful for your insurer; the plain-language description is what you should read.
"Alternatives" should include doing nothing
For almost every recommendation there is at least one other reasonable option, and "monitor and review" is often one of them, for example a small, stable area of early decay or a wisdom tooth causing no problems. A complete plan explains what is likely to happen if you choose each alternative or wait, so that the choice is genuinely yours.
Lab work and temporaries: the lines people skip
Crowns, bridges, veneers and implant crowns are made in a dental laboratory, and the plan should make this visible. Ask which lab makes them, how the shade is chosen and whether the lab sees you in person. At Creative Arts, lab work is made by Creative Art Dental Lab, a separate business in the same building, so the ceramist can see your teeth under the same light as your dentist; typical turnaround is 3 to 5 working days depending on complexity, which is why crowns and veneers take more than one visit.
Temporaries protect prepared teeth between appointments and let you try the shape and length before the final work. Check whether they are included, and ask what to do if one comes off.
What if the plan changes during treatment?
Plans sometimes change for good reasons. Decay under an old filling can turn out to be deeper than the X-ray suggested, so a filling becomes a root canal; a cracked tooth may need a crown rather than a filling; bone may be thinner than expected at an implant site. What matters is how the change is handled:
- The dentist should stop and explain what was found before doing additional work, unless you agreed in advance how to handle that situation.
- You should receive an updated written plan with the new treatment and its cost.
- You should still have the right to choose between the options that remain.
Asking at the start, "what might change, and how will you tell me?", avoids most surprises.
See what drives the cost of each treatment and what a written plan from Creative Arts itemises, with links to every cost guide on the site.
Dental costs in DubaiConsent and comparing two plans
Before treatment starts you will be asked to give informed consent: confirmation that the diagnosis, the treatment, its main risks, the alternatives and the cost have been explained and that you agree. Take the time you need; for planned treatment there is rarely a reason to sign on the day you first see the plan.
If you have plans from two clinics, compare them tooth by tooth, using the numbers above. Our guide to getting a second opinion in Dubai explains how to do that fairly, and our guide to judging cheap dental quotes covers what low prices often leave out. If your plan includes veneers, our veneer consultation guide lists the extra questions to ask.