Your First Dental Visit: What to Bring

What to bring

Bring identification, health fund details if relevant, a list of medications, medical history, allergy information and any dental records or X-rays you already have.

If you have a voucher, bring the original voucher and any instructions provided with it.

If you are attending for a child or another family member, bring any consent, guardian or relevant medical information that may help the appointment run smoothly.

If you are attending because of symptoms, write down when they started, what makes them better or worse, and whether swelling, sensitivity or a broken tooth is involved. This makes the first conversation more useful.

Medical history, medications and allergies

Medical history can affect dental assessment and treatment planning. Tell the clinic about medications, allergies, pregnancy, medical conditions and recent surgery or hospital treatment.

If you are unsure whether something matters, mention it. The dentist can decide what is relevant after assessment.

Also mention pregnancy, recent hospital treatment, blood-thinning medication, heart conditions or anything your medical practitioner has told you may be relevant to dental care.

Children's first visits

For children, bring any relevant CDBS or health fund information and mention previous dental experiences or worries when booking.

Parents can also ask about brushing, diet, tooth development, habits and what to expect during the visit.

For a child's first visit, bring a parent or carer who can answer medical and dental history questions. If the child has had previous dental experiences, toothache, dental trauma or CDBS information, mention this when booking.

Health fund card and payment questions

Bring your health fund card if you want to ask about claiming. If treatment is discussed, item numbers and estimate questions may be relevant.

Payment option questions can also be raised before treatment planning, especially for larger treatment discussions.

Appointment types

The right appointment type depends on whether you need a check-up, have symptoms, are bringing a child, want to ask about whitening or need urgent concern guidance.

If you are unsure, use Book Online or call the clinic so the team can ask a few questions and guide you to a suitable starting point.

Mention if you have limited time, a voucher, health fund questions or several concerns to discuss so the clinic can consider the most appropriate appointment pathway.

A first visit may be a check-up, an urgent concern appointment, a children’s visit, a whitening suitability discussion or a consultation about another concern. The team can ask questions to help you choose a sensible starting point.

What happens after assessment

After assessment, the dentist can discuss findings, suitable options, timing and whether item numbers, estimates or further appointments are relevant. You can ask questions before deciding on a next step.

If records, X-rays or referral information are needed, the dentist can explain why. If no treatment is needed at that visit, you can still ask about prevention, recall timing and home care.