First Visit Information

What to Expect During Your Pet’s Day in The Hospital

On the day of your pet’s initial appointment, you will be asked to fast them after 10 PM the night before in case we have had a procedure cancellation and will be able to fit them in for a procedure that same day. All records will have been requested from your referring veterinarian. If you have any additional recent records such as bloodwork or appointments within the last two weeks, please bring those with you to avoid the need for duplicate diagnostics. If your pet has been prescribed medication by your referring veterinarian to calm them during appointments, please follow those instructions prior to the appointment.

When you arrive, you will check in at the front desk and one of our Customer Service Representatives (Client Care Coordinators) will show you to an exam room. You will then meet with one of our Registered Veterinary Technicians to get a history of the concerns you have about your pet’s oral health. If your pet has issues with severe anxiety or aggressive behavior, please let us know so we can keep everyone (including your pet) as safe and comfortable as possible. The Technician will also perform a brief physical exam and get a current weight. After this initial history and exam, Dr. Ulbricht will meet with you in the exam room to do a physical exam including a thorough oral exam of your pet. If your pet’s oral cavity cannot be examined while they are awake, options will be discussed at this time. Dr. Ulbricht will then discuss his exam findings and treatment recommendations for your pet.

After providing time for you to ask any questions you might have about the findings and treatment plan, Dr. Ulbricht and the Technician will create a written treatment plan with all associated costs for you to review. If you have any additional questions, the Technician and/or Dr. Ulbricht will be available to make sure the plan is as clear as possible. If there is no procedure slot available that day, you will have an opportunity to schedule for a procedure time in the future. Most of our patients are able to schedule for their procedure within 1-2 weeks of the initial consultation. If you have any questions between the consult and scheduled procedure, give us a call or send an email or contact request through our website and we will get in touch with you.

  • All pets that are to undergo anesthesia will have no food after 10:00 PM the night before their appointment.  Water is fine until they leave home for the procedure in the morning.
  • Once they arrive at the hospital, a physical examination, including bloodwork, will be performed. From the initial oral examination, a preliminary treatment plan will be formulated and discussed with you.
  • Once the initial treatment plan has been approved, your pet will be admitted for the procedure.
  • Each pet will have a customized anesthetic plan developed and will be anesthetized using the safest protocols available.  A veterinary nurse will be assigned to your pet to monitor their vital signs and comfort under anesthesia.  A Board-Certified Veterinary Anesthesiologistâ„¢ is available for consultation and monitoring when indicated.
  • Once the dental cleaning is complete, oral imaging will be performed. This may include dental radiographs and/or cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).
  • Next a Board-Certified Veterinary Dentist® will evaluate the imaging and perform a thorough oral examination. A finalized treatment plan will be formulated. You will be notified if the necessary treatment will be more extensive than originally discussed.
  • Whenever possible, treatment will be completed the same day.
  • Once the treatment has been completed your pet will recover from anesthesia under the supervision of our trained staff.  You will be notified once your pet is awake.  At this time you will also talk with the doctor about the treatment your pet received and be given an appointment time to return for discharge.
  • When you arrive to pick up your pet, the home care instructions will be discussed in detail, and any additional questions you might have will be addressed.
Three weeks after your pet’s procedure, you will return with them for a recheck examination. This exam is at no charge to you and is important to allow Dr. Ulbricht to evaluate your pet’s response to treatment and healing progress. This time will allow him to make additional recommendations on diet, home care, and activity levels. Some patients require additional recheck appointments at 6 weeks post-procedure or later depending on the nature of the condition treated. These rechecks are also at no charge to you and are important in guiding the continued recovery of your pet. After periodontal disease treatment, Dr. Ulbricht recommends that pets have a follow up dental cleaning at 3-6 months post-procedure depending on the severity of the disease process. If you choose to have these cleanings performed at our practice, they are available as a recheck cleaning at a reduced rate to help support you in treating your pet’s dental disease. We will be glad to answer any questions you have about these recheck cleanings.

When You Arrive:

We are located at 1012 Rondale Ct. in O’Fallon (on the right side of the building), conveniently located off of Highway 364 and in close proximity to I-64/U.S. 40 and I-70. Follow I-64 to Exit 9 for State Hwy K. Follow State Hwy K to State Route N. Turn onto Rondale Ct and follow signs for our clinic.

When you arrive, please park in front of our office on the right side of our building and use the door labeled 1012.

Contact


    Veterinary Dental Specialists of Missouri

    1012 Rondale Court. O’Fallon, MO 63368

    Scroll to Top