When you register with Avalon Oral Care Centre, we’ll invite you to attend a new patient check-up. This will be our chance to get to know you, to set up your dental records and to take you through a simple 10-point examination that will give us a great picture of your oral health. If you are nervous about visiting the dentist, please let us know when you book your appointment so that we can ensure we have everything in place to help you feel at ease.

During your appointment, we’ll ask lots of questions about your health, both dental and general, and take the time to listen to your concerns and aspirations for your smile. If we need to take a closer look, we’ll use intraoral cameras and low-radiation digital x-ray to gain an instant picture of your teeth and in some cases we can take a low dose panoramic x-ray to gain further information if required. Finally, we’ll talk you through the treatment you need plus itemised costs, either to keep you dentally fit or to enhance your smile.

At Avalon Oral Care Centre, we routinely screen for signs of oral cancer. It’s a crucial part of the check-up process because, unlike other cancers, mouth cancer is on the rise in the UK. The effects of mouth cancer can be devastating, having a huge long-term impact on your speech and facial appearance, as well as only a 50 percent survival rate. Many causes of mouth cancer are lifestyle-related – smoking is the main cause, followed by alcohol and the HPV virus – so unlike other cancers, mouth cancer affects a high proportion of younger people. We’ll not only screen for oral cancer during your check-ups, but advise you on how to check for the early signs at home – such as persistent mouth ulcers, lesions or swellings in your mouth. For more information on mouth cancer, visit the Mouth Cancer Foundation website.