New patients · Washington, DC
What to expect at your first visit.
No treatment happens at a first visit. You will be examined, informed, and given a written plan — and then the decisions are yours. Here is the whole visit, step by step, so nothing about it is a surprise.
Direct answer
A first visit at DC Perio & Implants has six parts: check-in, a health history review, a clinical exam, 3D imaging where your case calls for it, a plain-language discussion of findings and options, and a written treatment plan with exact costs. Bring your photo ID, insurance card, a list of current medications, and any referral letter or imaging from your dentist.
Where: either of our Washington, DC offices — Farragut Square downtown or Eastern Market on Capitol Hill. One phone number reaches both: (202) 659-3500.
Worth knowing: a consultation involves no sedation and no drilling, so you can drive yourself and return to your day afterward.
Step by step
The six steps of a first visit
Check in and settle in
The front desk confirms your paperwork — most patients complete the new-patient forms at home ahead of time. Bring your photo ID, your insurance card if you have one, and the referral letter or imaging your dentist provided.
Health and dental history review
We go through your medical history, medications, and dental history with you. Conditions like diabetes and medications like blood thinners genuinely change surgical planning, so this part is thorough on purpose.
Clinical examination
The periodontist examines the area of concern along with the surrounding teeth, gum tissue, and bite. Nothing is done to you at this stage without explanation — the exam is looking, measuring, and listening.
3D imaging where your case calls for it
When implant planning is involved, we take a CBCT scan — a three-dimensional image of your bone, sinuses, and nerve positions. If your dentist already sent recent imaging, we use it rather than repeating it.
Findings and options, in plain language
The doctor walks you through what the exam and imaging show, what your realistic options are, and the tradeoffs of each — including the option of doing nothing yet, when that is defensible.
Your written treatment plan
You leave with a written plan: the recommended procedures, their costs, the sequence, sedation choices, and financing options. You decide at home, on your own timeline. If a referring dentist sent you, we report back to them the same way.
Checklist
What to bring with you
Forms are available ahead of time on the patient resources page — completing them at home shortens your check-in.
Photo ID
A driver's license or other government-issued ID.
Insurance card
If you carry dental coverage. We coordinate insurance as a courtesy, in or out of network.
Medication list
Everything you take, including supplements — several common medications change surgical planning.
Referral letter and imaging
If your dentist referred you, bring the letter and any x-rays or CBCT they took, or have their office send them ahead.
If you’ve been putting this off
Anxiety is common here. It is also planned for.
Many of our patients waited years before making the first call, and the visit they feared turned out to be a conversation. The first appointment asks nothing of you except showing up: the exam is gentle, the imaging is a scan, and every decision that follows is made with you, not for you.
When treatment does come, comfort is part of the plan — sedation options range from nitrous oxide to IV sedation, matched to the procedure and to you. And you will already know your doctor: our three periodontists do their own consultations, including Dr. Porzio, whose patients often mention how much of the visit is simply explanation.
Two offices, one phone number
Where your first visit happens
Downtown DC · Federal corridor
Farragut Square
1712 I Street NW, Suite 202
Washington, DC 20006
Capitol Hill
Eastern Market
650 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Suite 320
Washington, DC 20003
Comparing the two? See both locations — hours, metro stops, and parking for each.
Common questions
Frequently asked about the first visit
- Do I need a referral to be seen?
- No referral is required. Most patients come to us referred by their general dentist, but if you are concerned about your gums, a loose tooth, recession, or a missing tooth, you can schedule a consultation directly.
- How long will the visit take?
- It depends on whether imaging is part of your visit and how complex your case is. When you book, the front desk will tell you what to plan for based on the reason for your visit.
- Do I need someone to drive me?
- Not for a first visit. Consultations involve an exam and conversation, not sedation. A driver is only needed later, for treatment visits that use oral or IV sedation.
- Can I complete the forms ahead of time?
- Yes, and it saves real time at check-in. The new-patient forms are on our patient resources page — if a form you need is not posted yet, call the office and we will send it to you directly.
- What if I'm anxious about being here at all?
- You are in good company — many of our patients arrive after years of putting this off. The first visit involves no treatment, and nothing happens without your understanding first. If anxiety is part of your picture, tell us; sedation options exist for treatment visits, and we pace care accordingly.
The hardest part is the phone call. Make it once.
One visit, no treatment, and you leave knowing exactly where you stand.