New Patients · Checkups & Cleanings · Murrieta
New Dental Patients: Going Back to the Dentist After Years Away
If it's been years since you saw a dentist, the first visit back is an exam and X-rays, nothing more unless you want it. For a new patient that's $20 without insurance. I look at everything, tell you what's urgent and what can wait, and hand you a written plan with prices. Nobody here will lecture you about the gap. I'd rather you came in late than not at all.
You're not the only one
Why do so many adults go years without seeing a dentist?
Usually for one of four reasons, and I hear all of them every week in my Murrieta chair. A bad experience years ago. A gap in insurance that turned into a habit. A dentist who retired or an office that closed. Or simple embarrassment: the longer it's been, the harder it feels to call. None of those makes you a bad patient. They make you a normal one, and the CDC's oral health pages are a reminder of how common untreated cavities and gum disease are among U.S. adults.
What I want people to know is that the first visit back is the easiest appointment you'll have. There's no drilling and no surprise bill. I find out where things stand so you can decide what to do about it, at your pace.
A lot of patients tell me the worst part was picking up the phone. After that, it's an exam and a conversation.
The first visit back
What happens at your first visit after a long gap?
It's the same thorough exam every new patient gets, with a little more time built in because there's more to catch up on. The dental exam page walks through each step in detail. Here's the short version.
1We talk first
What's bothering you, if anything, what happened last time you saw a dentist, and what your health and medications look like now. If something scared you before, tell me. It changes how I pace the visit.
2A full set of X-rays
After a long gap I usually need a complete set, because I have nothing to compare against. They're digital, take a few minutes, and follow the American Dental Association's 2024 guidance to take only the images that will change a decision.
3The exam
Every tooth, every filling, the gums, the bite, the jaw joints, and an oral cancer screening. You see what I see on the screen.
4Gum measurements
These decide what kind of cleaning you need. Healthy numbers mean a routine cleaning; deeper numbers mean a deep cleaning, and I'll show you why.
5Your plan, sorted
What needs attention now, what can be scheduled, and what I'd rather watch. Each item has a written price. Nothing happens that day unless you ask for it.
What you'll likely hear
What do people usually need after years away?
Less than they fear, most of the time. The usual story is gum inflammation that has had years to build, which the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research describes as starting with bleeding gums and moving, if left alone, to bone loss. Every mouth is different, but these are the findings I see most often when someone comes back after five or ten years, and how I usually handle them.
| Common finding | What it usually means | What usually happens |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy tartar, gums that bleed, but shallow pockets | Gingivitis, which reverses | A longer routine cleaning, sometimes over two visits |
| Pockets of 4 mm or more with bone loss | Gum disease that won't reverse on its own | A full mouth deep cleaning first, then routine care |
| A few cavities between back teeth | Decay that didn't hurt yet | Fillings, often several in one visit |
| An old filling or crown that's leaking or cracked | Work that's reached the end of its life | A replacement, often a same-day crown |
| A tooth that's broken down past saving | Decay or a crack too deep to repair | We talk through every option before anything comes out |
I sort it all by what can actually hurt you. Infection and pain come first. A cavity that's close to the nerve comes next. Cosmetic things come last or not at all, and only if you bring them up.
Cost and insurance
How much does it cost to get back on track?
The first visit is $20 without insurance for the exam and digital X-rays. After that, the cost depends entirely on what the exam finds, and you get the price for each item in writing before you agree to anything. These are the published prices people ask about most at a first visit back:
New-patient exam with digital X-rays
$20
Without insurance
Ultrasonic teeth cleaning
$95
For gums that measure healthy, without insurance
Full mouth deep cleaning
$320
Only when the gum measurements call for it
If you have a PPO plan, I accept PPO plans and I'm in network with Delta Dental PPO, Cigna, MetLife, Guardian, Aetna, and United Concordia. My team checks your benefits before the visit. If you don't have insurance, the prices above are what you pay, and CareCredit can spread larger work over time. A big plan doesn't have to happen all at once. We can stage it so the urgent items come first and the rest fits your budget.
If you're nervous
What if fear is the reason you stayed away?
Then the first visit is a good place to start, because it involves no needles and no drilling. Tell me what happened before. I'll explain each step before I do it, and you can stop me any time. For treatment visits, numbing is done slowly and checked before I start.
For adults who need more help than that, I offer nitrous oxide, which wears off within minutes. The sedation dentistry page explains how it works. Sedation here is never pills, IV, or general anesthesia; if you need more than laughing gas, I'll refer you.
When not to wait
When shouldn't you wait for a routine first visit?
When something hurts, swells, or broke. A throbbing tooth, a bump on the gum, swelling in your face, or a broken tooth needs a same-day emergency visit, not a routine slot. Call (951) 412-0127 and say so. The emergency dentist page covers what to do until you're seen.
Go to an emergency room first if swelling is spreading toward your eye or down your neck, or you have a fever or trouble swallowing or breathing. Then call me, because the hospital can treat the infection but not the tooth that started it.
- Office hours
- Mon, Tue, Thu 9 AM–5 PM · Wed, Fri 9 AM–3 PM · not open on weekends, except about one pre-booked Saturday a month for routine visits
- Address
- 26957 Date St, Suite B4, Murrieta, CA 92563
- Languages
- English, Spanish, and Vietnamese are spoken in the office
- Phone
- (951) 412-0127
Directions, parking, and what to expect when you walk in are on the Murrieta office page.
Your dentist
Who will you be seeing?
Me, every visit. Promenade Dental Care is a one-dentist office on Date Street. I opened it in Temecula in 2010 and moved it here in 2020. I earned my DDS at the UCLA School of Dentistry and served ten years as a U.S. Navy dentist, including an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton and deployments to Kuwait and Iraq.
The Navy taught me to tell people plainly what they need and what they don't. That matters most for someone who's been away a while and expects to be sold a long list. You'll get the honest version, sorted by what actually matters.
Patient reviews
What do new patients say about their first visit?
First visit with Dr. Nguyen, and it was a great experience! Yes, really. He kept me informed, he was accommodating, and he listens. Best experience getting a crown that I've ever had. If you're looking for a spa-like atmosphere you won't find it here, but if you need competent, quality dental care, performed using state of the art equipment, all at a reasonable price, this is the place.
— Sandy Markarian · Google review
Dr. Nguyen and his staff are so kind and professional. I hated going to the dentist, until I started my dental treatments with @PromenadenralCare. They understand how frightening past experiences can make a person feel very anxious. The dentist was very patient & compassionate.
— Cindy D · Google review
Great Dentist! My last one retired and am soo relieved that I found Promenade. I will be using from now on 10/10 service!
— Landon Leffler · Google review
$20 for a second opinion. The other dentist said, I needed implants new bridges for thousands of dollars. I wanted a second opinion and found this great guy. He saved me so much money! Very nice dentist.
— Brenda Carter · Google review
FAQ
What else do people ask before coming back?
Will I be judged for not seeing a dentist in years?
No. Long gaps are common, and the reasons are usually ordinary: insurance changed, a dentist retired, or a bad experience made it easy to put off. My job is to find out where things stand and help you fix what matters, not to comment on how long it's been.
Will you do treatment on the first visit?
Only if you want it. The first visit is the exam, X-rays, and a written plan. If something small can be handled the same morning and you'd like it done, we can. Otherwise you leave with the plan and the prices and decide from there.
Can I get a cleaning at my first visit back?
Often, yes, if your gums measure healthy and there's time. A routine cleaning is $95 without insurance. If it's been many years and there's heavy tartar, the cleaning may be longer or split into two visits. If the measurements show gum disease, I'll recommend a deep cleaning instead and show you the numbers.
I'm worried the list will be long and expensive. What happens then?
We sort it. Infection and pain come first, then anything close to the nerve, then everything else. A long plan can be staged over months so it fits your budget, and every item has a written price before you agree to it. I'll also tell you which items can safely wait.
I don't have insurance anymore. Can I still come in?
Yes. Many of my patients don't have insurance. The new-patient exam with digital X-rays is $20, a routine cleaning is $95, and every other price is given in writing before treatment. I take cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and CareCredit.
My old dentist said I need a lot of work. Can you take a second look?
Yes. Bring the plan and any X-rays you have. I'll examine the teeth in question and tell you which items I agree with and which I don't. Sometimes the answer is the same plan; sometimes it's a shorter one.
What should I say when I call to book?
Call (951) 412-0127. Tell whoever answers that it's been a while and whether anything hurts. If something hurts, we'll find you a same-day slot on a weekday. If nothing does, we'll book a new-patient visit with enough time for a full exam.
Ready to find out where things stand?
Call to book a $20 new-patient exam with digital X-rays. You'll leave with a written plan and no pressure to start anything that day.
What the exam coversPromenade Dental Care · Dr. Bao Nguyen, DDS
26957 Date St, Suite B4, Murrieta, CA 92563
Mon, Tue, Thu 9 AM–5 PM · Wed, Fri 9 AM–3 PM · not open on weekends