What To Expect

What to Expect at Pet Dental Center

We understand that your pet’s health and comfort are your top priorities, and we want to make sure you feel informed and confident throughout their dental care journey. Below is an overview of what you can expect during consultations and procedures at Pet Dental Center.


Consultations

During your initial consultation appointment, our team will take the time to thoroughly assess your pet’s oral health and create a customized treatment plan.

What Happens During the Consultation?

Medical Review: Upon arrival, you’ll meet with one of our technicians, who will go over the medical records we’ve received from your veterinarian and the details you’ve provided over the phone.
Oral & Physical Examination: The veterinarian you’re seeing for your appointment will perform a detailed oral and physical exam to assess your pet’s overall health and dental needs.
Treatment Plan Discussion: After the examination, the doctor will discuss treatment recommendations, explain the procedure, and answer any questions you may have.
Cost Estimate & Scheduling: You will receive a personalized treatment plan with details of the procedure and an estimated cost. Once everything is reviewed, our Client Care Specialists will assist you in scheduling a procedure appointment at checkout.

Pre-Anesthetic Bloodwork & Additional Testing

  • Pre-anesthetic bloodwork is required before any procedure. If your pet has had bloodwork performed recently (typically within two months of this appointment), this may not be required again. You may have the option of having it performed during the consultation or we can schedule for you to come back for a diagnostic appointment at a later date.
  • Cardiac evaluations may be recommended if we determine that additional precautions are needed for your pet’s safety.
  • All Pre-Diagnostics are required to be completed no less than ten days prior to the procedure.
  • Each pet has unique needs, so if you have any questions about preparation, please don’t hesitate to give us a call—we’re happy to help!

Procedure Day

When to Arrive & What to Expect

-Admission times vary but are typically on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday mornings.
Your pet’s surgical order will be determined by the doctors based on the needs of all patients that day—we are unable to take requests for specific surgery order.
Pick-up times are usually between 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM depending on when your pet’s procedure is completed.

Updates & Communication

We know how important it is to stay informed about your pet’s care. That’s why we provide multiple updates throughout the day, including:
Procedure Start Call: We will call you as soon as your pet’s procedure begins.
Imaging & Oral Exam Call: Once the doctor has completed the imaging and oral exam, they will call you to review findings and confirm the final treatment plan before proceeding.
Recovery Call: You’ll receive another call once your pet is out of surgery and in recovery, along with a pick-up time estimate.
Additional Updates: Depending on the timing of the procedure, we may call with additional check-ins.

Pick-Up & Aftercare

When you arrive to pick up your pet:

We will review pictures and imaging from the procedure to help you understand the treatment performed.
Our team will ensure you are completely comfortable with home care instructions before you leave.


Follow-Up Care

If your pet’s procedure requires a follow-up visit, we will schedule this 2-4 weeks after surgery—at no additional cost.


Our goal is to ensure your pet is healing properly and comfortable, and we are always available to answer any questions post-procedure.


We’re Here for You & Your Pet

At Pet Dental Center, we pride ourselves on exceptional patient care, thorough communication, and compassionate service. If you have any questions about your pet’s upcoming visit, scheduling, or aftercare, please don’t hesitate to give us a call—we’re happy to help!

Commonly Asked Questions

Does My Pet Need A Dental Cleaning?

Dental cleanings should be recommended based on each individual pet’s level of plaque and calculus build up and gingivitis. For some pets, cleanings may be necessary every 6 months, for others it could be every couple of years. More importantly, pets need to have routine oral evaluations with dental probing and full mouth dental radiographs no less than every 2 years and in some pets every 6 months. This includes pets who may have minimal plaque, calculus or gingivitis. It must be understood that clean teeth are not always healthy and therefore could be causing you pet pain or discomfort.

My Dog Has Bad Breath.

Bad breath is the number one symptom of advanced dental disease in pets. In most cases, bad breath in pets originates from disease causing bacteria. When pathogenic bacteria begin to flourish in the mouth, bad breath develops. It is important to have your pet’s oral health fully assessed with thorough oral examination and dental radiographs as soon as bad breath is noticed to prevent severe infections and tooth loss. These bacteria can also negatively affect other parts of the body and contribute to cardiac or renal disease.

My Pet Has Increased Risks For Anesthesia, How Can They Get The Dental Care They Need?

It is not fair to make a pet live with chronic dental pain and infection because they are considered an increased risk for anesthesia. At Pet Dental Center, we specialize in providing high level anesthesia care for geriatric pets and those with increased risks such as heart, kidney, liver, neurologic, diabetes and Cushing’s diseases. Because of our reputation for providing the highest level of anesthesia care possible, we average treating one high risk patient each day. Trust your pet with the ones who perform the most anesthesia procedures in high risk patients, Pet Dental Center.

Is It Normal For My Pet’s Teeth To Fall Out?

Baby or deciduous teeth are supposed to fall out when dogs and cats are teething, between 3 and 7 months of age. Adult or permanent teeth are present for the life of a dog and cat as long as they are healthy. If your pet is losing adult teeth there is severe dental disease. Advanced periodontal disease is the most likely cause for a pet losing teeth although dental fractures and tooth resorption are other likely causes.

What Kind Of Chews Are Good For My Pet’s Teeth?

Brushing your pet’s teeth is the best way to prevent dental disease at home and should be performed daily. When your pet does not accept brushing or for supplemental dental care in those pets who are getting their teeth brushed, dental chews can be a good choice. We recommend using dental chews that have the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal of approval. This verifies that the product has been tested in clinical trials and was shown to significantly reduce plaque or calculus. We also recommend slowly introducing dental chews by offering a reduced amount of the chew and observing your pet while chewing. This is to make sure he or she does not swallow a large portion of the chew that could lead to choking or digestive complications. Hard chew objects such as bones, hooves, antlers, thick rawhide products and plastic toys often lead to dental fractures and should always be avoided.