Frequently Asked Questions What kind of dental insurance do you accept? Valley Dental Group accepts a range of dental benefit plans. Please call our office at 763-544-2213 and ask for any of our insurance coordinators, and they will be happy to help you. Do you have payment plans? Yes we do! Go to our Financial Page for more information. Does your office take MA (Medical Assistance)? Valley Dental Group is not a provider for Medical Assistance. Are you handicap accessible? Yes. We have automated handicap door openers and an elevator from our main entrance floor to the 2nd floor. For your convenience a wheelchair is available in our building. How often do I need my teeth cleaned and examined? The frequency of dental cleanings is dependent on many factors, but will generally range from three to six months between appointments. More frequent visits are usually required for patients with some degree of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease can rarely be cured, but controlling or stopping the disease progression with regular periodontal maintenance, usually every three to four months is important. More than just a polishing of the teeth, periodontal maintenance involves a deeper, thorough cleaning of any residual pocket areas between the tooth and gum. With patients who are free of periodontal disease and who have an excellent home care regimen of brushing and flossing, a six to twelve month frequency for cleaning and examination may be appropriate. Is an electric or automated toothbrush a good choice? Today’s modern automated toothbrushes, with bristles that vibrate and/or spin are great aids for proper dental care. The bristle action is very effective for plaque removal and most of the brushes have a built-in timer to assure adequate time is being spent to complete the cleaning process. It can take a little time to get used to the technique and our hygienists would be happy to assist you if you have any questions. Will whitening hurt my teeth? Long-term studies have shown that teeth whitening, when following product instructions, will not harm the teeth. The one side effect that you may experience is that the teeth may become sensitive to cold and/or air during the whitening process, but will return to normal once the whitening treatments end. Why and how often do I need dental radiographs (x-ray films) taken? When examining your teeth, the dentist can visually only see about fifty percent of the tooth. Dental films are needed to see what may be happening between the teeth, to see the root structure and supporting bone and to see the internal aspects of the tooth that contains the dental nerve tissue. Without these films, the dentist has to guess as to what might be happening and that is not good dentistry! The presence and degree of any periodontal disease, the number of restorations or fillings present in the teeth and any history of trauma or injury to the teeth and jaws will dictate the frequency. Most patients may require decay detecting films, commonly referred to as “bitewings”, once every twelve months, and a full mouth series of films to show the root tips and bone areas every five years. Children will have panoramic films taken at various ages to check for the presence and development of the permanent teeth and to monitor the development or presence of third molars (wisdom teeth). Without dental films, dental pathology such as caries (decay), cysts and tumors may be missed and can lead to serious complications if not discovered and treated early. Because of the use of high speed film and other techniques, the risk of a missed problem far outweighs the risk of the minimal radiation used in today’s dental films.		“I enjoy meeting new patients and helping them feel comfortable with their dental experience. I look forward to helping them achieve a healthy smile.” - Dr. Janet Parsons