Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Many patients are opting out of dental insurance because the cost sometimes outweighs the benefits, depending on the plan you have. Or perhaps your employer decided not to offer dental insurance as part of your benefits package in an attempt to cut costs. No worries. We have solutions!

We understand that fitting your necessary dental treatment into your budget is important and that no one likes surprises when it comes to their finances. That is why we will provide you with an accurate estimate of your treatment before we begin so you can make the best decisions possible regarding your oral health. 

Even if you don’t have insurance, we still welcome you to our dental practice. We can help you prioritize your treatment so that you can address the most immediate problems first and break down your treatment over time. For your convenience, we also accept most major credit cards, checks, and Care Credit – a financing company that specializes in medical and dental needs. You can easily apply online at www.carecredit.com to get pre-approved.

If you have questions about the cost of your treatment, budgeting for care, or how to break down your payments over time, please call our Herndon, VA dental office and one of our helpful team members will assist you.

Our office is proud to be a provider of the Invisalign system. Invisalign offers orthodontic treatment to correct a wide range of problems, including crooked teeth, gaps between your teeth, overcrowding, and bite problems.

Invisalign offers you a way to straighten your teeth without the unsightly and uncomfortable brackets and wires involved in traditional braces. The Invisalign aligners are comfortable, clear plastic trays custom made to fit your teeth. The clear plastic trays are practically invisible when they're in place, allowing you to correct your teeth without anyone knowing you're undergoing orthodontic treatment.

Every few weeks, you switch to the next set of aligners in the series, gradually adjusting your teeth into the right position through small changes in the fit of each set of aligners. The gentle, gradual adjustments will help your teeth and gums grow accustomed to the new positions, helping to keep overall treatment times down.

Other benefits of Invisalign include:

• Gentle tooth adjustments that lead to less pain during your orthodontic treatment
• Removable aligners, which don't limit what you can eat while using Invisalign
• No need to perform adjustments, meaning fewer visits and quicker dental appointments during treatment

If you are interested in finding out if you are a good candidate for the Invisalign system, call our office today and schedule a consultation exam.
 

While our office strives to perform conservative dentistry whenever possible, sometimes an extraction is necessary. Whether it's due to excessive decay or a severe abscess, crowding of other teeth, or partially erupted or “impacted” teeth (usually wisdom teeth), our Herndon dental office staff has years of experience in safely and painlessly removing teeth.

If you need to have a tooth pulled, we will schedule an appointment for the extraction. Anesthesia will be used to ensure you feel no pain during the procedure. Once the tooth is pulled, we will provide you with information on how to properly care for the extraction site. Aftercare is very important with tooth extractions to ensure they heal well and to help you avoid dry socket and other complications.

We offer a wide range of restorative services including bridges and full and partial dentures to restore the missing tooth once the site has healed. If you are having teeth extracted in preparation for orthodontic services, be sure to ask us about Invisalign, a gentle and comfortable alternative to traditional braces.

Having a tooth pulled is never a fun experience, but with our gentle and experienced staff on the job, we can keep your discomfort to a minimum and help improve your oral health by getting problem teeth removed quickly and painlessly. Call our office today to schedule your extraction appointment.
 

Yes, we do! We are proud to be a provider of the Smiles for Children program through the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services. Smiles for Children covers diagnostic, preventative, restorative, and surgical dental procedures for Medicaid, FAMIS, and FAMIS Plus children up to age 21, as well as orthodontia services. The program also provides limited coverage for adults ages 21 and up, providing coverage for some medically necessary oral surgery services.

Enrollment in this program is automatic for any child covered by VA Medicaid, FAMIS, or FAMIS Plus. There is no special enrollment process or a separate dental coverage card. There are no out-of-pocket costs for your child's covered dental treatments through the Smiles for Children program.

This program covers a wide range of services in addition to exams and cleanings, including flouride treatments, sealants, extractions, anesthesia, crowns, root canals, x-rays, fillings, and oral disease services.

Coverage for adults over 21 years of age is extremely limited and includes extraction of teeth for severe abscesses that may complicate a medical condition or contribute to poor general health, as well as coverage of non-dental oral surgeries for birth defects, removal of cysts and tumors not related to your teeth, biopsies for possible malignancies within the mouth, and repair of traumatic wounds.

If you have any questions about covered treatments or need to schedule an appointment under the Smiles for Children program, call our office today.
 

Starting your child off right with the dentist is important. We recommend your child's first “well-baby” dental exam as soon as their first tooth grows in or no later than one year of age. Starting dental visits at a young age not only helps prevent dental caries in baby teeth but also teaches your child that a trip to the dentist is nothing to be afraid of.

Cavities in toddlers are becoming more prevalent, and it's important to treat these cavities, even in baby teeth. Untreated cavities can not only lead to pain, discomfort, and swelling, but baby teeth also serve important functions in ensuring your child's permanent teeth grow in properly.

If a baby tooth is lost early and the space is not maintained, permanent teeth can grow in improperly, resulting in crowded teeth, uneven gaps, and crooked teeth. Once the permanent teeth come in, the only way to fix these problems is through orthodontic treatment.

Many adults with a fear of dentists developed this fear as children. Keeping a positive attitude about the dentist, talking about good dental health with your kids, and creating a friendly relationship between your children and our dental staff will all help keep the chances of fear of the dentist from following them into adulthood. Dr. Ahmad also uses the "tell, show, do" method when performing dental procedures, helping your child to understand what is happening and allay their fear of the unknown.

If your child has their first tooth or is a year old and has not yet seen the dentist, call today to schedule their first visit.
 

We know you lead a busy life, and we want to make scheduling your trips to the dentist as easy as possible. We offer a wide range of appointments, including times not usually offered by most dentists, such as evening appointments on Tuesdays and even Saturday appointments!

Our normal hours of operation are as follows:

• Tuesday 11 AM - 7 PM
• Wednesday 9 AM - 5 PM
• Thursday 9 AM - 5 PM
• Friday 8 AM - 12 PM
• Saturday 10 AM - 2 PM

Keep in mind that evening and Saturday appointments fill up quickly, so plan ahead and schedule in advance to ensure you get the date and time that works best for you.

If you are experiencing a dental emergency, contact us as soon as possible. We keep a block of same-day appointments available for emergencies so you can be seen without delay. If it is late in the day or after hours, we can schedule you for the next day and offer other assistance to keep you comfortable in the meantime. If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please contact 911.

Call our Herndon dental office today for an appointment that works with your schedule.
 

At our Herndon dental office, we understand that many patients experience some level of dental anxiety. You are not alone! Millions of people have the same fears you do.

Our team is both caring and compassionate. We work with our patients at a comfortable pace and let them know that they are always in charge of their appointments so that treatment does not feel quite so stressful. However, we understand that sometimes comfort and compassion are not enough. That is why Dr. Imaney Ahmad decided to offer sedation dentistry for those patients who have trouble relaxing while in the dental chair.

Dr. Ahmad offers two types of sedation dentistry:

Nitrous oxide – Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas as it is sometimes called, is our mildest form of sedation and is safe for most patients – even children! Nitrous oxide is inhaled through a mask. Dr. Ahmad can control the level of sedation throughout the appointment. It enters and leaves your system quickly without residual grogginess. You will be able to drive a few minutes after your treatment.

Conscious sedation – Oral conscious sedation is our stronger form of sedation and provides relaxation without needles. We administer medication approximately one hour prior to your scheduled treatment. Once the sedative takes effect, you will feel dreamy and relaxed. You will still be able to respond to our questions and will remain conscious, however you will need someone to take you home after treatment because you will be unable to drive.