Your first dental visit will be over an hour of undivided attention with the smile team.

When you see us at Springfield Smile Doctor, we examine your health history and any medications you might be on. This step is crucial because dental problems, such as gum disease, can affect other health issues and the other way around. We want to find out about any possible concerns in advance. Also, some medicines can change things in your mouth, making you more likely to have dental problems. That's why we need to know about any medications you're taking.

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Our second screening is one we consider EXTREMELY important — the head and neck cancer screening. † 53,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year. It will cause over 9,750 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day.

Our role as your oral health specialist is to screen for head and neck cancer routinely. Survival rates are high when these types of cancer are caught early. See more from the Oral Cancer Foundation

In our third examination, we check your jaw joints, teeth, and muscles to ensure they all work together smoothly. Various signs and symptoms can appear when your teeth don't align properly with your joints and muscles. These issues, known as occlusal disease, can involve teeth grinding, clenching, tooth fractures, sensitivity, jaw popping, and pain or migraine headaches. We look for these TMJ/TMD problems during our screenings.

In our fourth examination, as you've likely come to expect during your dental visits, we assess all of your teeth and any previous dental procedures you've undergone. Our goal is to confirm the absence of dental disease and the ongoing effectiveness of your prior dental work. Occasionally, problems such as dental decay and the deterioration of past dental work might not trigger immediate discomfort. Often, tooth pain signals more advanced dental issues that could have been addressed if detected early. Our objective is to support our patients in averting discomfort and addressing concerns promptly, preserving optimal oral health.

Our fifth screening is one that you might have experienced before, and it's equally significant as cancer screening, as periodontal disease has links to certain cancers. This screening assesses your gum tissues and the supportive structures around your teeth to ensure no hidden disease. Periodontal disease is a silent condition akin to high blood pressure, where symptoms are unlikely, and you might not even realize you have it. We aim to detect gum disease in its early stages, allowing us to address it using non-surgical laser therapy. Without intervention, this disease can eventually lead to tooth loss, possibly affecting some or all of your teeth. Additionally, gum disease can worsen other health issues like diabetes and heart disease.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Dr. Randi Green conducts comprehensive sleep apnea screenings to address the common sleep disorder affecting millions of Americans, with over 25 million adults estimated to be affected by obstructive sleep apnea. Through her screenings, Dr. Green helps patients understand their sleep apnea and upper airway resistance syndrome, offering insights into treatment options and emphasizing the mouth-body connection's importance. Explore how Dr. Green can improve your sleep quality and overall well-being with our screening services.