Dental exams and cleanings in Richmond, TX

Item	Details
Visits	One visit for most people
How often	About every six months; every 3–4 months if you have had gum disease
Numbing	Usually not needed for a routine cleaning
Price	New patients: $49 limited exam with panoramic X-ray and an X-ray of the problem area; $99 comprehensive exam with X-rays; $179 comprehensive exam, X-rays and basic cleaning (dental prices)
Insurance	All PPO plans (benefits checked before your visit), Medicare Advantage plans with dental benefits, and Texas Medicaid/CHIP for children (DentaQuest, MCNA, UHC Dental)
Saturday appointments	Yes, Saturdays 9am–3pm, plus Tuesday and Wednesday

Do you need a dental exam and cleaning?

Most people do, even when nothing hurts; regular checkups are the core of preventive dentistry. Cavities and gum disease rarely hurt in the early stages. You are especially due if:

• It’s been more than six months since your last cleaning, or you can’t remember when it was
• Your gums bleed when you brush or floss
• You have bad breath or a bad taste that doesn’t go away
• You see brown or yellow buildup near the gumline that brushing won’t remove
• A tooth feels sensitive to cold or sweets
• You’re starting with a new dentist after moving to Richmond or Fort Bend County
• Your child’s first tooth has come in (we see kids from about age 1 and can add sealants once their molars come in)

What happens at your visit?

1. We review your health history and medications, and ask about any concerns.
2. We take X-rays if they’re due. New patients usually get a panoramic X-ray and, for a full exam, close-up intraoral X-rays.
3. The dentist checks every tooth for decay, cracks and worn fillings, and looks at your bite.
4. We measure the gum pockets around your teeth to check for gum disease.
5. The dentist does an oral cancer screening: a look-and-feel check of your lips, tongue, cheeks, throat and neck.
6. Plaque and tartar are removed from your teeth, then they are polished and flossed.
7. We go over what we found, answer questions and book your next visit.

If we find signs of gum disease, a regular cleaning may not be enough. We’ll explain whether you need scaling and root planing instead, and why.

Cost, insurance and financing

Our published new-patient prices: $49 limited exam with panoramic X-ray and an X-ray of the problem area, $99 comprehensive exam with X-rays, $179 comprehensive exam, X-rays and basic cleaning. The oral cancer screening is part of the exam, not an extra charge; our article on oral cancer screening cost explains why. If you need more than a basic cleaning, such as a deep cleaning, we give you a written estimate before treatment (see what determines the cost of a deep cleaning).

We work with all PPO plans and check your benefits before your visit, so you know what is covered. We also accept Medicare Advantage plans that include dental benefits. For children, we accept Texas Medicaid and CHIP through DentaQuest, MCNA and UHC Dental; we are not in network for adult Medicaid. Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover routine dental care. See insurance we accept.

We accept Cherry, Sunbit and CareCredit for patient financing (see financing options), and you can use an FSA or HSA card for dental treatment.

Recovery and aftercare

There’s no downtime. You can eat right after a regular cleaning. If you also had fluoride varnish, wait about 30 minutes before eating and skip hot drinks and hard foods for a few hours. Gums can feel a little tender for a day if there was a lot of tartar.

At home, brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, clean between your teeth once a day, and replace your toothbrush every 3–4 months.

Alternatives

Option	Best for	What to know
Regular cleaning	Healthy gums or mild gum irritation	Cleans tooth surfaces and at the gumline; one visit
Scaling and root planing	Gum disease with deeper pockets	Cleans root surfaces below the gumline; local anesthetic; often two visits
Periodontal maintenance	After gum disease treatment	Visits about every 3–4 months to keep gum disease in check
Skipping checkups	Not recommended	Problems are found later, when treatment is usually bigger

Why patients in Richmond choose us

• Checkups, cleanings, gum treatment and oral cancer checks all done in our office, for adults and for kids from age 1
• Saturday appointments from 9am to 3pm, plus Tuesday and Wednesday hours (Saturday dentist in Richmond)
• Published self-pay prices for new-patient exams, and insurance benefits checked before your visit
• Two dentists, Dr. Arpitkumar Patel and Dr. Harsh Patel, and a team that speaks English, Spanish, Gujarati and Hindi

Related guides

• What happens at a comprehensive dental exam
• How long after a dental cleaning can I eat?
• Is brushing teeth once a day enough to remove plaque?
• Is flossing twice a day too much? How often to floss

Frequently asked questions