FAQs · AIM Healthcare Centre, Malanshof, Randburg
The questions everyone asks.
Emergencies, money, nerves, kids — everything patients ask across the front desk, answered the way we’d answer you in person. And if your question isn’t here, ask it: a real person answers.
Toothache right now? We keep same-day slots — and we answer.
Call nowEmergencies
What counts as a dental emergency?
Severe toothache, a knocked-out or broken tooth, swelling, an abscess, bleeding that won’t stop, or a crown or filling that’s come off. If you’re in pain right now, call us — we keep same-day emergency slots and we answer the phone.
How quickly can I see a dentist for a toothache in Randburg?
Usually the same day. We keep same-day emergency slots at AIM Healthcare Centre in Malanshof and we answer the phone — call us and we’ll ask three quick questions, book you into today’s emergency slot, and tell you exactly what it will cost before you arrive.
Is a knocked-out adult tooth really an emergency?
Yes — one of the most urgent. The sooner a knocked-out adult tooth is seen, ideally within the hour, the better its chances. Keep it in milk, don’t scrub it, and call us on the way.
What should I do while I’m on my way to the dentist?
Keep a knocked-out tooth in milk, hold a cold compress against swelling, and don’t put aspirin on the gum. Then come straight through — when you call, we’ll tell you exactly when to arrive and what will happen when you get here.
Do you offer after-hours emergency care?
We answer the phone and keep same-day slots during practice hours. After hours, WhatsApp “SORE TOOTH” anyway — we’ll phone you back in practice hours. For swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, go straight to your nearest hospital emergency department.
Should I go to the hospital or the dentist?
For swelling that affects your breathing or swallowing, go straight to your nearest hospital emergency department. For everything else dental — severe toothache, a broken or knocked-out tooth, an abscess — call us: we keep same-day emergency slots and we answer the phone.
Costs & medical aid
Why won’t a dentist give me a price over the phone?
Because the cost follows what the examination finds — how deep the decay runs, how much healthy tooth is left, whether the nerve is involved. A number quoted for an unseen tooth is a guess; the honest sequence is a proper look, then a written quote.
Do you charge medical aid rates?
Yes — our fees are set in line with the rates medical aid schemes publish, and we quote before we treat. Tell us your plan when you book and the front desk will tell you what it covers, and what any co-payment would be, before you sit in the chair.
What is a co-payment at the dentist?
It’s the gap between what your medical aid pays for a procedure and the full fee. Plans differ, so the same treatment can carry different co-payments on different options — we tell you yours in the quote, before treatment, never on the invoice afterwards.
What if I don’t have medical aid?
The promise works exactly the same way: a proper look first, then the full price upfront, in writing, before you decide anything. Call or WhatsApp the front desk and they’ll talk you through booking and what to expect.
How much does an emergency dental visit cost?
You’ll know before you arrive. When you call, we ask three quick questions, book you into today’s emergency slot, and tell you exactly what it will cost — we work at medical aid rates and we quote before we treat, so there are no surprises at the desk.
Can I take my quote home before deciding?
Yes. You can decide in the chair, or take the written quote home and think it over — nothing goes ahead until you’ve seen it and said yes. If there’s more than one way to fix the problem, the quote spells out each option.
The full money story — medical aid rates, co-payments and gap cover, in plain language — lives on our medical aid page
First visits & nerves
How long does a first dental visit take?
About the length of a lunch break, for most people. If it’s been years since your last visit, the clean may run a little longer — that’s the only real difference a long gap makes, and we’ll tell you upfront if we need more time.
What should I bring to a first dental appointment?
Your medical aid details, if you have them — tell us your plan and we’ll tell you what it covers before you sit in the chair. Beyond that, just the honest story of what’s been bothering you, even if the answer is “nothing, it’s simply been a while”.
I haven’t seen a dentist in years — will I get a lecture?
No. Whether you floss twice a day or haven’t seen a dentist since matric, you get the same warm welcome — no lectures, no guilt, just a clear plan and a light touch. The only difference a long gap makes is that the first visit may run a little longer.
I’m nervous about the dentist — how do you handle that?
Tell us, because it genuinely changes how we work. We go slower, explain more, pause when you need a moment, and never make you feel silly for asking a question twice. Gentle care is the point of the whole visit, not an add-on.
Can my first visit just be a chat?
Yes. Your first visit can simply be a look and a conversation: sit in the chair, get an honest picture of your mouth and a plan, and go home. Nothing has to happen on day one — a calm first visit is worth more than a rushed one.
Do I need a referral to see a dentist?
No — you book directly with us, no referral needed. Book online, or call or WhatsApp the front desk, whether it’s a niggle, an emergency or simply a check-up that’s overdue.
Kids
When should my child first see the dentist?
Sooner than most parents think — from around the time the first teeth arrive, and well before school age. Early visits are deliberately small and gentle, so the dentist becomes a normal, safe place long before any real treatment is ever needed.
What happens at a child’s first dental visit?
It’s deliberately small: your child meets us, checks out the big chair and settles in, with you close by the whole time. If they’re comfortable, we count teeth out loud, look for early signs of decay and do a gentle clean — usually all in one short visit.
My child is scared of the dentist — what do you do differently?
We go at your child’s pace, always. Everything is explained with show-and-tell, in words they understand, and if they’re not ready we stop — a good first experience matters more than finishing everything, and we never rush a nervous little one.
Do baby teeth really matter if they fall out anyway?
Yes. Baby-tooth enamel is thinner than an adult’s, so decay moves through it faster — and baby teeth hold the space the grown-up teeth need to come in straight. Losing them too early can affect the adult smile that follows, so they earn proper care.
Can you see my kids after school?
Ask about after-school times when you book — the front desk will help you find a slot that doesn’t turn the afternoon upside down. If two children are due, ask about booking them back-to-back so it’s one trip from Blairgowrie, not two.
Can the whole family see the same dentist?
Yes — that’s this practice at its best: little ones on a very first visit, teenagers, and parents finally getting around to the check-up they kept postponing. Everyone gets the same unhurried welcome.
Treatments
How often should I have a dental check-up and clean?
Every six months works for most people, though we’ll recommend the rhythm that fits your mouth. Most dental trouble starts small, painless and invisible, in the gap between visits — regular check-ups catch it while it’s still easy to fix.
Can a chipped tooth be fixed in one visit?
Often, yes. A small chip can usually be bonded back to shape in a single visit, using tooth-coloured filling material matched to your own. A bigger break, a deep crack or a badly worn tooth needs a crown or a veneer, which typically takes two visits.
Does a root canal hurt?
Far less than its reputation. The treatment is done under local anaesthetic, and most patients say it feels like a longer filling appointment. Some tenderness for a few days afterwards is normal — and usually the toothache it ended was far worse.
Do all wisdom teeth need to be removed?
No. A wisdom tooth that has come through straight, with room to keep it clean, can be left in peace. The ones that cause trouble are stuck, angled or only partway through the gum — an examination and an X-ray tell us which kind yours is.
Why do my gums bleed when I brush?
Bleeding means the gum is inflamed — usually by plaque along the gum line. Often that’s gingivitis, the early stage, which a proper clean and better home care can fully reverse. But long-standing bleeding can also mean the deeper stage — worth an examination rather than a guess.
Is teeth whitening safe?
Yes — when it’s done after a proper check. Whitening over decay or inflamed gums is asking for sensitivity, so we always look first, and we tell you plainly what shade change is realistic for your teeth before you spend a cent. No glossy promises.
What’s the difference between an implant and a bridge?
An implant replaces the root itself with a small titanium post that bonds to the jawbone; a bridge is quicker — typically two visits — and uses the teeth on either side to carry the new one. We’ll explain which fits your mouth, and why, in plain language.
What if I need treatment you don’t do here?
We’ll say so honestly and refer you to the right hands — the way a deeply impacted wisdom tooth goes to a maxillofacial surgeon. You’ll never be talked into a treatment just because it’s the one on offer.
Finding us
Where exactly is the dentist in Malanshof?
Randburg Dentist is the dental practice inside AIM Healthcare Centre in Malanshof, Randburg. For many neighbours, getting to the chair is a stroll — and the Get directions button on this page points you straight at the Centre.
What are your opening hours?
Our current hours are shown at the bottom of every page and on the contact page. Not sure whether we can fit you in today? Call or WhatsApp and the front desk will tell you straight away — and confirm your slot before you walk over.
How do I book an appointment?
Online in about a minute — or WhatsApp or call us and the front desk will sort it out with you. Tell us what’s bothering you, or say “just a check-up”, and we’ll confirm your slot.
Do I need to book, or can I just walk over?
Booking first is always better — online takes about a minute, or WhatsApp us and the front desk will confirm your slot. That way you walk over knowing the chair is ready for you, not hoping for a gap between other appointments.
Is there parking at the practice?
Yes — free parking at the Centre. You park at AIM Healthcare Centre in Malanshof, walk straight in, and the hard part of the visit is already over.
What happens if I’m running late for my appointment?
Call or WhatsApp us as soon as you know — the front desk will tell you whether your slot still works or find you the next one that does. Life happens; nobody here will make it weird.
The map, directions and the booking form are all on our contact page
Didn’t find your answer?
Ask us the question that brought you here — a real person answers, in practice hours, in plain language. Or skip straight to the chair: booking takes about a minute.