Your first visit
Will it hurt? Is the dentist skilled? So many worries
The unknown can feel unsettling. That’s why we want you to know what to expect before your visit.
Pain and fear around dental treatment
The most common impression is that going to the dentist is “painful” and ”frightening”. Where does this impression come from?
Why does it hurt?
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The nerve is what senses pain
In most cases, if you have noticeable symptoms such as pain, the infection has reached near the nerve or into the nerve itself. Because the nerve is very sensitive, if the anesthetic doesn’t take well, you may feel pain during treatment.
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It hurts without anesthetic
As long as the anesthetic is working, you won’t feel pain. But once it wears off, the original pain at the treatment site returns, and you go on feeling pain until it heals — so even though you didn’t actually feel pain during treatment, you can be left with just the impression that it hurt.
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Waiting until it hurts is too late
One reason is that many people think of the dentist as somewhere you go once your tooth already hurts. Cavities generally can’t be removed without drilling, and drilling involves pain. It’s also likely that the anesthetic used to ease that pain has a strong image of being painful itself.
Why is it frightening?
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It’s scary because it hurts
Tooth pain can be hard to bear. Everyone dislikes pain and finds it frightening. But it’s a contradiction to find the dentist frightening because it’s painful, and yet only go once a cavity is already causing pain.
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The anesthetic and the drill (turbine) are frightening
It’s true that imagining a needle going into your mouth is frightening, and we understand very well why having a loud instrument put in your mouth feels frightening too. If these things feel ”frightening”, it’s all the more important to visit the dentist regularly and take care to avoid tooth decay as much as possible.
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The dentist and staff can be frightening
Dental clinics are busier places than you might expect. That’s exactly why we often hear about cases with no room for things like courtesy, and poor service. Some dentists may also come across as intimidating because they confront the disease so earnestly, and we often hear about cases where treatment proceeds without enough explanation, which feels frightening.
The special steps Hamille takes
The most common impression is that going to the dentist is “painful” and ”frightening”. Where does this impression come from?
So it “doesn’t hurt”
Nothing makes us happier than hearing “That went well”
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Thorough attention to detail
We pay close attention to whether you’re feeling any pain and check in with you throughout, so you won’t be left thinking, “It hurt so much I could barely stand it, but I couldn’t say so.”
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High-level skill, without relying on machines
For patients who find anesthetic doesn’t work well on them, or who are sensitive to pain, we’ve learned techniques such as topical anesthetic and ways of giving anesthetic that cause little pain to begin with, so that even children who struggle with pain tell us, “That was fine.”
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Treatment aimed at keeping your teeth
Our treatment policy is no pain, no drilling and no extraction. We don’t provide unnecessary treatment, and we focus on preventive dentistry. We look for and suggest ways to keep your own teeth wherever possible.
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Our focus on prevention
We do provide treatment, of course, but a dentist’s true role is preventive dentistry. In other words, the dentist is a place you visit so you don’t get tooth decay. We believe that as this idea spreads, the image of the dentist as “painful” will disappear: no need to drill ⇒ no need for anesthetic ⇒ no painful symptoms.
So it “isn’t frightening”
“I can go to the dentist now! I want to keep coming!” That’s how we want you to feel.
Hamille helps you lead a full, happy life.
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Keeping pain to a minimum
Even people who dislike the dentist can come in without feeling pain. With treatment of that high standard, we’ll dispel the misconception that the dentist is frightening because it hurts.
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Preventing tooth decay
We explain where the cause lies and what should be done, use photos of the inside of your mouth, and do all we can to keep you from getting tooth decay. The best solution is prevention, so that there is no need for frightening “treatment.”
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Aiming to be a dental clinic full of smiles
Because patients come to the dentist feeling anxious, we make a point of greeting you with a smile, and we hold regular training sessions and seminars, working to be the most pleasant, easiest-to-visit dental clinic anywhere. We also provide ongoing instruction and training so that our explanations are thorough and we agree on a plan with you, and we’re well regarded as a clinic where patients receive treatment they understand and agree to.
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With Hamille, there’s nothing to fear
Not knowing something can sometimes make it frightening. To show you that there’s nothing to fear, we value communication and are open with you about everything, so that the dentist feels at least a little less frightening.
Requests for first-time patients
- 1 By appointment only
- We can’t see walk-in patients. Please book by phone or online.
- 2 Bring your insurance card
- You can still be seen without your insurance card, but you will need to pay the full cost yourself. We need to see it at least once a month, so please show your insurance card at reception. If your My Number Card has been set up to work as your health insurance card, you can have it scanned instead.
- 3 A first visit costs about 4,000 yen
- This is an estimate covering the first-visit fee, X-ray and examination fees for patients who pay 30% under health insurance. Beyond that, the cost varies with the examinations and treatment carried out on the day. Tartar removal or cavity treatment costs extra.
- 4 We accept cash, cards, transit IC cards, PayPay and more
- If you choose self-pay treatment, you can also use payment options with lower monthly costs, such as a dental loan.
- 5 In pain right now and need to be seen straight away
- Patients with appointments come first, but so that we can relieve this kind of pain as soon as possible, we take emergency patients as they come in. If you can wait, we can see you the same day. Please call the clinic first.
- 6 There is a limit to what we can do in one visit
- You may wonder why everything can’t be finished in a single visit, but we have to follow the time periods set by the health insurance billing rules.
- 7 Please arrive about 15 minutes before your appointment
- You’ll fill out a medical questionnaire and register, and we’ll explain a few things, so please give yourself time and plan to arrive about 15 minutes before your appointment.
- 8 You can also change your dentist
- At clinics with several dentists, you can change your dentist or ask for a specific one. If you’d prefer a female dentist or would like another dentist’s opinion, just let us know. * Popular dentists may be harder to book.
- 9 Have more questions
- If you have any other questions, please contact us. If you’re busy, you can also send a written inquiry through our website (please select the clinic you’d like to visit). We’ll reply by the next day the clinic is open.