Level 17, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Level 17, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Holistic Treatment · Whole-Person Assessment
The comprehensive new patient consultation at Sydney Holistic Dental Centre is a thorough assessment of your oral health and its connection to your general health. We examine your teeth, gums and existing restorations, screen for oral cancer, assess your jaw joints and the muscles of your head and neck, and evaluate your breathing, airway and sleep. You leave with high-definition photographs of your own mouth, digital X-rays taken with up to 90% less radiation than standard films, and a written treatment plan with costs. It is unlike any first dental visit you have had.
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Around 95% of dental problems develop without pain. By the time a tooth hurts, the problem is usually well advanced, which is why 'nothing hurts' is a poor reason to skip an examination and why 'find it early' is the cheapest dentistry there is.
The second reason is the one that surprises people. Many of the problems we see every week — worn and cracked teeth, morning headaches, recurring decay, children's crowded teeth — have causes outside the teeth themselves: sleep-disordered breathing, mouth breathing, clenching and grinding, diet. In our experience, tooth grinding reflects a sleep or breathing issue in the majority of cases, so we assess the whole system on day one. Treating the tooth without finding the cause books the next repair in advance.
"Patients often tell us this was the first time a dentist asked how they sleep. That question has changed more lives in this practice than any filling I have ever placed."
DR CRAIG WILSON — PRINCIPAL DENTIST
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A first appointment unlike any other — assessing your teeth, gums, airway, jaw joints, and sleep quality together.
1
A full oral and general health history: digestion, breathing, sleep, snoring, headaches, medications and past dental experiences. The connections are often surprising.
2
An oral cancer screening. Early detection is critical and this is included in every comprehensive examination.
3
Assessment of your jaw joints (TMJ), bite, and the muscles of your head and neck.
4
Examination of every tooth and existing restoration, plus the gum and bone support around each tooth (periodontal charting).
5
An airway, breathing and sleep screening: nasal versus mouth breathing, tongue posture and position, signs of night-time clenching and grinding, and validated sleep questions.
6
Digital X-rays where clinically indicated, using up to 90% less radiation than standard X-rays.
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High-definition photographs so you can see exactly what we see.
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A discussion of findings in plain language, and a written treatment plan with itemised costs. No surprises.
Your consultation ends with the part patients remember: what your mouth says about your sleep, breathing, nutrition, movement and stress, and what you can do about it. Sometimes the advice is dental. Often it is broader, and where it needs a sleep physician, an ENT or a nutritionist, we refer, because we work with a network of practitioners we trust.
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A standard check-up and clean
The SHDC comprehensive consultation
Teeth and gums examined; scale and clean in the same visit.
Teeth, gums, every restoration, jaw joints, head and neck muscles, airway, breathing and sleep assessed; hygiene scheduled separately with proper time.
X-rays if something looks wrong.
Digital X-rays where clinically indicated (up to 90% less radiation), plus high-definition photographs of every quadrant so you can see what we see.
Findings summarised verbally in the last five minutes.
An unhurried discussion of findings, and a written, itemised plan with costs to take home.
Medical history form skimmed for allergies.
A genuine health conversation: sleep quality, snoring, breathing, digestion, medications, stress, past dental experiences.
The next appointment books the next filling.
The plan starts with causes: why teeth are cracking, why decay recurs, what the airway is doing at night.
Many patients arrive researching a specific question: mercury amalgam removal, a root canal decision, materials for an implant. The comprehensive consultation is where those questions get personal answers, because advice about your fillings requires an examination of your fillings. You will leave with your options mapped, evidence pages to read, and no pressure.
If you grind through splints, wake with headaches, snore, or have been told you sleep restlessly, this consultation examines the system behind those symptoms rather than the symptoms alone. Bring your sleep tracker data and any sleep study results; they change the conversation.
A child's consultation adds growth and development to everything above: jaw development, tongue posture, mouth breathing, thumb and dummy habits, and the airway questions that shape a growing face. Early assessment is the cheapest orthodontics there is. Children's visits are structured to be genuinely enjoyable; our oral health therapists are very good at this.
If dentistry has hurt, embarrassed or dismissed you before, say so when you book. The first visit involves no treatment, nothing happens without your understanding, and our comfort options run from warmed anaesthetic through to sedation for any later work. You stay in control throughout.
There is no obligation to proceed with anything. Your written plan lays out options, priorities and costs, usually in stages: what is urgent, what is preventive and what is elective. Many plans begin with hygiene and prevention rather than treatment. When a plan involves a considered decision, amalgam removal, a root canal question, an implant material choice, we point you to the relevant evidence pages on this site and give you time.
Digital X-rays are itemised separately where clinically indicated. HICAPS is available on site for on-the-spot private health rebates; the rebate depends on your fund and level of cover. All fees are confirmed in writing before any treatment begins. See the fees page for current ranges across the practice.
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Book with intent: tell reception your main concern so the right time and clinician are set aside.
Bring recent X-rays from any previous practice; we may not need to take new ones.
List your medications and supplements, including doses.
Bring sleep study reports, CPAP details or sleep tracker exports if you have them.
For children: any reports from GPs, paediatricians, speech pathologists or previous orthodontic consults.
Arrive ten minutes early for your first visit; the medical history deserves more than a clipboard in a hurry (you can also complete it online beforehand).
Does the consultation include a clean?
The comprehensive consultation is an assessment visit; hygiene treatment is scheduled separately, usually with one of our oral health therapists, so both visits get the time they deserve. If you specifically want an examination and clean together, tell us when booking and we will advise the best structure.
Are dental X-rays safe?
Our digital X-rays use up to 90% less radiation than standard dental films, and we only take them where clinically indicated. If you have recent X-rays from another practice, bring them and we may not need new ones.
I'm anxious about dentists. Will this be confronting?
The first visit involves no drilling and no surprises: it is an unhurried conversation and examination. Tell us about your anxiety when you book. Comfort options, from warmed anaesthetic to sedation for later treatment, are described on our dental anxiety page.
What should I bring?
Any recent X-rays, a list of medications and supplements, your private health card, and your sleep tracker data if you use one. If your child is the patient, bring anything relevant from their GP, paediatrician or speech therapist.
Nothing hurts. Do I still need this?
Pain is a poor gauge of dental health; most problems develop silently. The comprehensive consultation exists precisely to find what does not hurt yet.
Book a comprehensive consultation and leave with a clear picture of your oral health and a written plan.
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Dr Craig Wilson
Principal Dentist, Sydney Holistic Dental Centre
Dr Craig Wilson has practised holistic dentistry at SHDC since 1983. He holds postgraduate qualifications in clinical endodontics, oral implants and TMJ and sleep disorders, and is a member of the IAOMT.
