Your First Visit
A first visit, done properly.
Most first visits are over in twenty minutes. We take longer, because getting a proper read on your oral health isn’t something you can rush. By the end, you’ll know exactly where things stand and have a written plan covering what, if anything, comes next.
A walk through the practice, before you even arrive.
First time coming in? This quick walk-through covers what to expect from the moment you step through our doors on Homer Street, so the space, and the faces, feel familiar before you’ve even arrived.
The TLC Experience
What happens during your first visit
A longer appointment means we can actually look properly: not just at your teeth, but your bite, your jaw, your gums, and the early warning signs that get missed when appointments are rushed. Nothing here is templated. Every step builds a fuller picture of your own mouth, specifically, so the plan we eventually put in writing is built around what we actually find, not a generic checklist.
On arrival
A conversation first, not a chair
Before anything else, we talk. Your history, any concerns, whatever’s brought you in. Things like teeth grinding, gum disease and dry mouth can point to wider health issues, so our questions go beyond just your teeth. This is also where we learn about any anxiety around dental visits, so we can adjust pace and explain things as we go rather than assuming you’re comfortable with any of it.
Imaging
Full-mouth imaging, properly done
A panoramic X-ray maps your whole jaw in one image: wisdom teeth, bone support, and a baseline we can return to if you ever need an implant or root canal down the track. Two closer X-rays then pick up decay and calculus between teeth that the naked eye would miss. All of it’s digital, so you’ll see the images on screen as we go rather than waiting to be told what they show.
Examination
A comprehensive oral examination
From here we check your bite and alignment, gum health, jaw movement and cracked teeth, plus a full oral cancer screening. If something needs a closer look, 3D cone beam imaging shows us nerve positioning and picks up early infection or root fractures, technology most practices simply don’t have in-house. We’ll talk you through anything we find as we find it, not all at once at the end.
Before you leave
Your written care plan
Before anything is treated, you’ll have it in writing: what we found, and what (if anything) we’d recommend, itemised and in plain English, with indicative costs attached. No pressure to decide on the spot. Take it home, sit with it, and come back with questions whenever you’re ready, whether that’s the same week or a few months later.
Included, at no extra step
Everything that’s part of your first appointment
No add-ons, no upselling partway through. These four things are simply what a first visit includes, for every new patient, every time.
01
Panoramic X-ray
A full view of your jaw in one scan: wisdom teeth, bone support, and a reference point for anything that comes up later. It’s also how we first spot issues that have no symptoms yet, like bone loss around the roots or impacted teeth that haven’t caused pain.
02
2 close-up X-rays
Picks up decay between teeth and calculus build-up well before it’s visible to the eye or shows up as sensitivity. Catching this early is usually the difference between a simple filling and a much bigger procedure down the line.
03
Comprehensive oral examination
Your bite, alignment, gum health, jaw movement and any cracked teeth, plus a full oral cancer screening. We check soft tissue, not just teeth, because early signs of other conditions often show up in the mouth first.
04
3D cone beam imaging
Used where it’s clinically useful, to map nerves and catch early infection or root fractures. This is the same technology used for implant planning, so if that’s ever on the table, we already have the data we need.
A boutique dental practice, in the heart of Earlwood.
Over a decade in, we’ve deliberately built something that doesn’t feel like a typical dental clinic: open, calm rooms, a team that actually remembers who you are, and enough time in every appointment to catch things that get missed when visits are rushed. Here’s a closer look at who we are.
See your first appointment, start to finish.
Check-in, imaging, examination, your written plan: this is what a first visit here actually involves, start to finish. It’s the same appointment every new patient gets, no exceptions.
Why The TLC Dentist
Boutique care, genuine values
Three things guide how we work: we listen properly, we don’t rush, and we build every plan around the person in front of us rather than a one-size-fits-all template.
Compassion
Every patient is treated as an individual. We take the time to understand your history and make sure you feel genuinely at ease, from your first visit to your last. For anyone who’s had a bad experience elsewhere, that first conversation matters more than any piece of equipment in the room.
Care
Treatment plans built around you, not a template, with enough time in every appointment to actually listen before we recommend anything. We’d rather explain three options and let you choose than push the one that’s quickest for us.
Convenience
Extended hours Monday through Wednesday, Saturday appointments, online booking, and complete transparency on fees. Your time matters as much as your health does, so we try to make the logistics of seeing a dentist as easy as the appointment itself.
Before you book
Questions people usually ask
If there’s something specific on your mind that isn’t covered here, call us on 1300 315 992 and we’ll talk you through it.
01
How long does a first visit actually take?
Plan for around 60 to 75 minutes. That covers the conversation, imaging, the full examination and going through your written plan together. We’d rather run a thorough appointment once than have you come back for things that could have been caught the first time.
02
What should I bring with me?
Your Medicare card, private health details if you have extras cover, and a list of any medications you’re currently taking. If you’ve had recent X-rays taken elsewhere, bringing a copy (or asking your previous dentist to send them across) can sometimes save you a repeat scan.
03
Is there a cost for the first visit, and can I claim it?
Yes, there’s a fee for the full new patient appointment, since it includes imaging and a comprehensive exam rather than a quick look. Most private health extras policies cover part of a check-up and X-rays, we can process your HICAPS claim on the spot so you only pay the gap.
04
I’m nervous about the dentist, is that okay?
Genuinely, yes, and more common than you’d think. Tell us when you book or when you arrive, and we’ll adjust pace, explain each step before we do it, and stop any time you need to. A first visit here is as much about building trust as it is about checking teeth.
05
Do I need X-rays if I’ve had them recently somewhere else?
Not necessarily. If your previous X-rays are recent (generally within the last 6 to 12 months) and we can get a copy beforehand, we may be able to use those instead of repeating them. Just mention it when you book and we’ll sort out the details.
What our patients say
5.0 stars, 517+ Google reviews
A first visit is all first impressions. Here’s what a few of our patients made of theirs.
I’ve been here a couple of times, most recently seeing Caitlyn. They’re always thorough and take the time to explain everything before any treatment starts.
Google review
My first visit was so much more thorough than any check-up I’ve had before. The written plan afterwards meant I knew exactly what I was agreeing to and why.
Google review
I used to dread the dentist, but the team here made me feel at ease from the first phone call. Genuinely the most relaxed I’ve ever felt in a dental chair.
Google review
Visit us in Earlwood
Find us on Homer Street
We’re set right in the heart of Earlwood, an easy walk from the village shops and simple to get to from anywhere across Sydney’s Inner West, with street parking nearby.
251 Homer St, Earlwood NSW 2206, Australia
| Monday – Friday | 9am – 5:30pm |
| Saturday | 9am – 2pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Public holidays | Closed |
Contact us
Visit Our Sydney Dental Clinic Today
At The TLC Dentist, we provide general dentistry to keep your smile healthy. From routine care to complex treatments, our team is here to help.
