Nodding along to words you half understand is a common way to spend a dental visit. For Waterford Green residents who would like to follow the conversation, here is what those terms mean.
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Dental teams use shorthand, much as any trade does. Calculus is simply tartar, recall means your return visit, and scaling is the removal of hardened deposits. Once those words make sense, the advice attached to them gets a lot easier to weigh.
Waterford Green is an area in Winnipeg, and patients from there are seen at our clinic on McPhillips Street. At any point in your appointment, you can stop someone and ask what a word means. Nobody expects you to arrive knowing it.
Explore check-ups & cleanings
Everyday meanings for the words most often heard during an exam and cleaning.
If an unfamiliar word comes up in the chair, that is the moment to request an explanation.
Knowing the vocabulary lets you judge what a recommendation is really asking of you.
The examination and the cleaning have their own jargon, because they do separate jobs. Here are the terms you are most likely to catch in each.
These describe how the dentist gathers information about your mouth and what they make of it.
These describe what your hygienist removes from your teeth, and the ways in which it gets done.
A term can carry a different weight depending on your own findings. When you hear one applied to you, ask what it means for your mouth in particular.
No two appointments run identically, but this order shows roughly when the vocabulary above may appear, along with what you can ask at each point.
Request your visitExpect to hear about medications and past dental work here. If you’re asked something and can’t see why it matters, feel free to ask what the answer tells the team.
Words like monitoring, restoration, or inflammation may surface as your dentist assesses your mouth. Ask to have them pointed out on your own teeth or images.
Scaling and polishing belong here, and your hygienist may also talk about preventive options. Should extra hygiene time come up, ask what is behind that suggestion.
Recall is the word to listen for at the end, since it refers to when you return. Your exam and hygiene recalls don’t have to fall on the same schedule.
If a past visit left you with a term you never quite understood, this is a fine reason to raise it. Old paperwork or notes can jog your memory about what was said.
You won’t be quizzed on any of this. Treat the terms here as a reference to glance at, not homework to finish before arriving.
A light blue chair reclined beneath its overhead arm.
Part of what makes dental visits tense is hearing technical talk over your head. Asking for ordinary words is a perfectly reasonable request, and it can change how the appointment feels.
That sentence works any time a description goes past you, and it can be repeated as often as necessary.
You needn’t know the anatomy. Pointing and saying it hurts there tells your hygienist plenty.
If you need a moment to take in what you were told, or simply to rest, signal for one.
When you’re back home
A lot gets said in one visit, and it is easy to lose track by the time you are home. Before you get up, have your main findings summed up in a sentence or two.
Have the advice on brushing and interdental cleaning restated until you could explain it to someone else.
Be clear on which findings are simply being monitored, and which of them have a recommendation attached.
Note when each part of your care is due again, since the exam and hygiene timing might differ.
Puzzling over a word on the drive home? Call the clinic and ask what it meant.
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Winnipeg North Dental
Unit-5 2358 Mcphillips Street, Winnipeg, MB R2V 4J6Get directions (opens in a new tab)Everything described here happens at Winnipeg North Dental, Unit 5, 2358 McPhillips Street, Winnipeg. The directions link on this section will map it out for you.
A form submission is a request and doesn’t hold a time. The clinic replies to settle the details, or you can phone instead.
Questions about coverage?
Talk with our team before your visit or learn about CDCP.
Helpful details about check-ups & cleanings in Waterford Green.
Ask our teamNo. Plaque is the soft film that forms on teeth, and tartar, also called calculus, is what it can harden into. Plaque can be brushed away, whereas tartar takes professional instruments to remove.
It is simply your next scheduled return for an exam, a cleaning, or both. How soon it falls depends on your teeth, gums, health history, and home care, as assessed by your team.
Those are periodontal measurements, which help describe the state of your gums and allow changes to be compared over time. Ask what your own readings suggest and whether anything needs attention.
Not necessarily. It tells you a spot is being watched while no treatment is advised at that moment. Your dentist can show you which area it is and what would prompt a different recommendation.
Scaling lifts hardened deposits from the teeth. Polishing, when appropriate, smooths the surface afterward. They serve separate purposes, and your hygienist can tell you which of them your appointment involves.
They are two names for the same kind of image. Whether you need any at a given visit is decided according to your history, your oral health, and what the dentist has to see.
You have a choice between ringing (204) 338-3003 and completing the appointment form. Appointments take place at Unit 5, 2358 McPhillips Street, Winnipeg, MB R2V 4J6, and the clinic gets back to you to finalize a time.
An exam might introduce a word like periodontics or root planing. These pages explain what such care involves, should it ever be mentioned at your visit.
Explore periodontal care in Winnipeg for gum disease, recession and bone loss, including scaling, grafting and implant-site preparation.
Explore serviceLearn how scaling and root planing in Winnipeg removes buildup below the gumline, smooths root surfaces and supports healing from gum disease.
Explore serviceRestore cavities, chips and worn areas with tooth-coloured dental fillings in Winnipeg. Learn when repair is needed and what happens during treatment.
Explore serviceHave an urgent concern? Call (204) 338-3003 to discuss availability.
Ask us what it means
Waterford Green residents can request a check-up and cleaning at our McPhillips Street clinic. Mention any terms you want cleared up, and we’ll reply to arrange things.
Patient testimonials
Winnipeg North Dental
“Excellent experience at Winnipeg North Dental. Recommended by my friend Gagandeep. The whole staff is professional and attentive. Special thanks to my friend there. Highly recommend!”
Winnipeg North Dental
“Had a great experience at Winnipeg North Dental. My hygienist, Haven, was thorough, professional, and gave really useful recommendations. Watching Netflix during the cleaning was an awesome bonus. Dr. Elzayat was great as well. Overall, a smooth, comfortable visit. Highly recommend!”
Winnipeg North Dental
“I really enjoyed the treatment at this clinic. I had my teeth treated by Dr. Sukhpreet. Everything went great. Thank you so much for your professionalism!”
Winnipeg North Dental
“Dr harpreet and Dr. Sidhu both were very nice during the job , full professional, very knowledgeable and Dr Harpreet was really polite during all time .”
Winnipeg North Dental
“I had a great experience at Dental North in Winnipeg for a teeth cleaning. The staff was friendly and professional, and the hygienist was gentle yet thorough. I left with my teeth feeling amazing and will definitely be returning!”
Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
“I did called them in 2020 October they were not opened at that time. I give them my number, email and name so that when they open they can give me call to book appointment. They might have forgot that. I had a first appointment for dental in Canada. It went really good. They explained every single bit what they gonna do, What is best for me, Doctor was really nice. It was completely satisfying experience. Didnt smell like a clinic. I mean like any walk in doctor clinic. Even they helped me to understand my dental benefits to use them in best possible way. I would definitely recommend to others.”
Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
“My recent visit at the Winnipeg North Dental was excellent. The staff was friendly, the cleaning was thorough yet gentle, and the dentist took the time to explain everything clearly. I highly recommend them! Dr Sidhu is awesome:)”
Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
“Dr Sidhu is very friendly and kind she takes care of her patients very well. I have my first visit yesterday and she listen and understand my problems and have done a good examination. Also suggested me many things which can improve my teeth situation. The staff is also very good and helpful. I will be visiting there again for sure.”
Winnipeg North Dental
“I had wonderful experience at this place. Thanks to the whole team.”
Winnipeg North Dental
“I have always found Dr. Sidhu to be very patient and comforting as well as gentle and makes for a totally painless visit, when ever I have dental issues. She is a very up beat and positive person which makes for great dental work experience every time.”
Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
“Recently, i had received two treatments and feeling very good and would like to thank the doctor for explaining in details about the problem and procedure . I would like to thank the staff and doctor for their professionalism for providing the kind service.Thank you.”
Winnipeg North Dental
“My experience here was amazing. Dr. Jiwan Sidhu is very nice and kind! She's overall a great dentist and I recommend others to come here!”
Winnipeg North Dental
“Dr. Sidhu and her Winnipeg North Dental Team are AWESOME!!! They always make their client feel comfortable and explains everything that need to be done in every visit. I also like that she is very caring, always connect with us after our visit to ensure that all is well with our teeth. Very highly recommended.”
Winnipeg North Dental
“Dr Sukhpreet has great and professional knowledge . God bless”
Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
“Knowledgeable staff and easy to get appointments! Thanks”
Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
“Dr. Sidhu and her staff are amazing! They don't rush, ask questions, and take the time to answer. I was impressed that Dr. Sidhu spent more than 10 minutes doing my check-up; the last dentist I went to spent 2 minutes and didn't even ask my name! I will definitely be going back.”
Winnipeg North Dental
“I’ve been seeing Dr.Sidhu at Winnipeg North Dental since it opened! Always a 10/10 experience there! She and all her staff exceed my expectations every time! Extremely friendly and will go the extra mile for you to ensure you receive the best dental care possible!”
Winnipeg North Dental
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Winnipeg North Dental
“Wonderful experience with Winnipeg North Dental Clinic. Dr. Sidhu was a wonderful dentist, and the staff was always helpful and kind. They ensured I had a smooth process and follow-up. I am so glad I chose Winnipeg North Dental clinic and would highly recommend to anyone.”
Winnipeg North Dental
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