Signal Cove practice
We are a three-surgery practice on the harbour side, built around longer appointments, written treatment plans and a pace that suits people who have put dentistry off for a while.
Evening sessions
Tuesday and Thursday chairs run into the early evening for people who work inland.
Urgent review
Pain, a lost filling or a broken edge is triaged for a same-week assessment slot.
Unhurried appointments
Ask for a longer first visit if you would rather talk things through before any treatment.
What we treat
Each lane below lists what the appointment actually covers, roughly how long to set aside, and who it tends to suit. If you are unsure which one fits, describe the problem in the request form and we will place you correctly.
01
A full soft-tissue and gum check, small radiographs where they are needed, and a scale and polish in the same visit. You leave with a written summary of anything we are watching.
Suits you if you want a baseline, you have moved to the area, or it has been more than a year since your last check.
02
Tooth-coloured restorations for decay, chipped edges and worn margins. We match shade in daylight at the chair and show you the before and after on screen.
Suits you if something feels rough to the tongue, catches floss, or was flagged at a previous check-up.
03
Planned restoration of a heavily worn or cracked tooth. We scan rather than use trays wherever the case allows, fit a temporary the same day, and review the final piece before it is cemented.
Suits you if a large old filling keeps failing, or a back tooth is sensitive when you bite down.
04
Assessment, photographs and a digital plan to see whether mild crowding or a rotated front tooth can be moved with removable aligners. You see the projected end point before committing.
Suits you if your bite is comfortable but the front teeth have drifted since your teens.
05
Custom trays and a graded gel used at home, always after a check and clean so the shade change is even. We record the starting shade so the difference is measurable, not guessed.
Suits you if your teeth are healthy and you want a gradual change you can pause at any point.
06
Toothache, swelling, a knocked tooth or a lost crown is assessed first and settled before any longer plan is discussed. We aim to relieve the symptom in the first appointment.
Suits you if something has changed suddenly and you need it looked at rather than scheduled far ahead.
Your first visit
New patients tell us the not-knowing is the hard part, so here is the sequence exactly as it runs.
1
We start with what you have noticed, what you have had done before, and anything you would rather avoid. Bring notes if that is easier than remembering on the spot.
2
Teeth, gums, bite, jaw joint and soft tissues, with small radiographs only where they change the decision. Everything is narrated as we go, and you can stop at any point.
3
You see your own photographs on the screen, with anything urgent separated from anything we are simply monitoring. No pressure to decide in the room.
4
You leave with a sequenced plan, the reasoning for each item, and the choice of doing it in one block or spreading it across several appointments.
The team
You will usually see the same clinician each visit. If you would prefer a particular person, say so in the request form and we will hold the appointment with them.
Principal dentist
Handles restorative planning and the longer crown and onlay cases. Works slowly through anaesthetic, checks numbness twice, and writes the plan out rather than talking through it once.
Dentist
Takes most children's check-ups and first-time adult visits. Keeps a hand signal system for pausing, and is the person to ask for if past appointments have gone badly.
Dental hygienist
Runs hygiene sessions and gum-health reviews, including the Saturday morning list. Will show you the two or three spots your brushing keeps missing and how to reach them.
Nothing gets treated because the diary has a gap. If watching a small area for six months is the better option, that is what the plan will say.
Practical info
The details people ask about before their first appointment, gathered in one place.
| Monday | Check-ups and treatment, morning and afternoon |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Extended day, last chairs in the early evening |
| Wednesday | Restorative and aligner reviews |
| Thursday | Extended day, hygiene and urgent triage |
| Friday | Treatment blocks, no new-patient examinations |
| Saturday | Hygiene mornings, released weekly |
| Sunday | Closed |
Every plan is costed in writing before work starts, itemised per appointment, so you can approve it in stages. If an alternative approach costs less, it is listed alongside rather than left out.
Ground-floor surgeries, a step-free entrance from the harbour path, and a quiet side room if a busy waiting area is difficult. Headphones and a weighted blanket are available on request.
Questions
Seven things new patients ask most often. If yours is not here, add it to the request form.
Request an appointment
This is a request rather than a confirmed booking. We read every message in practice hours, match it to the right clinician and length of appointment, then reply with the times we can actually hold for you.
If your message is urgent, mark the reason as urgent and describe the symptom. Those are read first.