Walk into most dental offices, and here’s what happens: you sit in the chair, open up, the dentist takes a quick look around, maybe does an x-ray, and tells you to come back in six months. Ten minutes, maybe fifteen, and you’re out the door. That’s not how it works at DC Precision Dentistry.
Dr. Justin Deckard does something different. His first visit with a new patient takes about thirty minutes. Not because he’s slow. Because he’s thorough. And that extra time during your first dental exam could save you from years of hidden dental problems.
What Most Exams Miss
Here’s a hard truth: a standard dental exam looks for cavities and gum disease. That’s it. If you don’t have a hole in your tooth or bleeding gums, most dentists send you on your way.
But what about your bite? What about the way your teeth touch when you close your mouth? What about the muscles in your jaw that ache by dinner time? Most exams don’t check any of that.
Dr. Deckard’s training at the prestigious Dawson Academy taught him a different approach called Complete Care Dentistry. It starts with a simple idea: your teeth don’t live in isolation. They work together with your jaw joints, your muscles, and your airway. If any one piece is off, the whole system suffers.
What Happens in That 30 Minutes
During a new patient exam, Dr. Deckard does things you’ve probably never experienced at the dentist.
- First, he watches how your jaw opens and closes. Does it track straight? Any clicking or popping? Most people ignore these signs until they’re waking up with headaches or struggling to chew.
- Then he checks how your teeth actually meet. Not just “do they touch,” but how they touch. Teeth that hit too hard in one spot can chip over time. Teeth that don’t meet at all can shift or wear unevenly.
- He also screens for airway issues. This sounds fancy, but it’s simple: do you breathe well when lying down? Do you wake up tired? These clues can point to sleep apnea or breathing problems that affect your whole body.
- And yes, he still checks for cavities and gum disease. That’s the baseline. The other stuff is what makes the difference.
Why This Matters for You
Consider a real example. A patient comes in with a tooth that keeps breaking. She’s had two crowns on it already. Both failed. A standard exam might say “try a third crown” or “just pull it.”
But Dr. Deckard’s exam noticed something else. Her bite was uneven. Every time she chewed, that tooth took the full force of her jaw. No crown could survive that. Fixing the bite solved the problem. That tooth has been fine for years now.
That’s the power of a complete exam. You catch the root cause, not just the symptom.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
If you’re new to DC Precision Dentistry, here’s what your first appointment looks like:
You’ll sit down with Dr. Deckard and talk about what’s bothering you. Then he’ll do his complete exam, checking teeth, gums, bite, jaw joints, muscles, and airway. He’ll explain what he’s finding in plain English. No confusing dental school vocabulary.
By the time you leave, you’ll understand your mouth better than ever before. And you’ll have a clear plan for keeping it healthy.
Most dentists don’t do this exam because it takes time and extra training. Dr. Deckard has both.
Get Your Dental Exam Today
Ready to see the difference a complete exam makes? Call our Washington, DC office at (202) 851-7554 or book online. We’re right off Farragut North and welcome patients from Dupont Circle, Shaw, and all across the District.
