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? Call reception to check the next available appointment.
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 reception to check urgent appointment availability.
How quickly can I see a dentist for a toothache in Randburg?
Call or WhatsApp reception during practice hours. Reception will check the next available appointment and confirm a date and time. Same-day availability cannot be guaranteed.
Is a knocked-out adult tooth really an emergency?
Yes. Seek urgent dental care immediately; do not wait for the practice to reopen. Hold the adult tooth by the crown, keep it in milk and avoid scrubbing the root. Never reinsert a baby tooth.
What should I do while I’m on my way to the dentist?
Keep a knocked-out adult tooth in milk and seek urgent dental care; never reinsert a baby tooth. Use a cold compress for swelling and do not put aspirin on the gum. Call reception to confirm availability; do not wait for reopening if urgent care is needed.
Do you offer after-hours emergency care?
After hours, messages wait until reopening. If care cannot wait, contact an available dentist. Eye or neck swelling, trouble breathing or swallowing, serious injury or bleeding that will not stop: go to a hospital emergency department now; do not wait for our reply.
Should I go to the hospital or the dentist?
For severe swelling affecting breathing or swallowing, serious face or jaw injury, or heavy bleeding that will not stop, seek hospital emergency care. Other urgent dental problems need prompt dental advice. Call reception during practice hours; do not wait for reopening if urgent care is needed.
Costs & medical aid
Why won’t a dentist give me a price over the phone?
Reception can give you known consultation or package fees. An exact treatment quote usually needs an assessment because the work required varies. Ask what a quoted fee includes and whether further treatment would be charged separately.
Do you charge medical aid rates?
Ask reception about the fee for your consultation and a quote for treatment. Medical aid reimbursement depends on your scheme, plan and available benefits, and may differ from the practice fee. Confirm cover and any expected co-payment before proceeding.
What is a co-payment at the dentist?
A co-payment is an amount you pay yourself when your scheme does not cover the full fee. Ask for a quote and check your plan’s benefits and rules before treatment; final payment depends on the claim assessment.
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?
Ask reception about consultation fees and your medical aid when you contact us. Treatment costs depend on the assessment; we quote before treatment.
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?
The length depends on your needs. Ask reception how much time to allow. After a long gap, the assessment may identify care beyond a routine clean; we explain if additional appointments are needed.
What should I bring to a first dental appointment?
Bring your medical aid details if you have them, and tell us about medicines, allergies and relevant dental concerns. Ask reception what else is needed and confirm any benefits with your scheme.
I haven’t seen a dentist in years — will I get a lecture?
No. You will get a warm welcome and a clear explanation of what we find. After a long gap, your teeth and gums may need more than a routine clean; we discuss the options and fees with you before treatment.
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 referral is needed for a dental appointment. Call or WhatsApp reception, explain what you need and ask for the next suitable appointment.
Kids
When should my child first see the dentist?
Arrange a first dental visit when your child’s first tooth appears, and by their first birthday. Early visits help you discuss brushing, feeding and healthy development before problems arise.
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?
Your dentist recommends the interval based on your teeth, gums, health and risk of problems. It may be shorter or longer than six months. Arrange advice sooner if you develop new symptoms.
Can a chipped tooth be fixed in one visit?
Often, yes. A small chip can sometimes be repaired with tooth-coloured bonding in one visit. Larger breaks and cracks need assessment first; the treatment and number of visits depend on how much healthy tooth remains.
Does a root canal hurt?
Local anaesthetic is used to help keep you comfortable. Tell the dentist if you feel pain during treatment so they can pause and check. Some tenderness afterwards is possible; follow your aftercare instructions and seek advice if pain persists or worsens.
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?
A dental assessment helps determine whether whitening is suitable. Temporary sensitivity or gum irritation can occur. Your dentist explains the options, risks and realistic shade change; whitening does not change the colour of crowns or fillings.
What’s the difference between an implant and a bridge?
An implant supports a replacement tooth from the jawbone. A bridge replaces a missing tooth using support from neighbouring teeth or implants. Suitability, timing and cost vary; we explain the options after an assessment.
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?
Find Randburg Dentist inside AIM Healthcare Centre at 2 Hans Schoeman St, Malanshof, Randburg, 2194. Use Get directions to plan your journey, and confirm an appointment with reception before travelling.
What are your opening hours?
Current hours are shown in the footer and on the contact page. Call or WhatsApp during practice hours to ask about availability. Reception confirms your appointment time before you travel; after-hours messages are handled when reception reopens.
How do I book an appointment?
Call or WhatsApp reception to request an appointment. Reception checks availability and confirms your date and time. Messages sent after hours are answered when the practice reopens.
Do I need to book, or can I just walk over?
Call or WhatsApp reception to request an appointment. Your booking is confirmed when reception agrees a date and time; please confirm before travelling.
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 Call and WhatsApp details are all on our contact page
Didn’t find your answer?
Ask reception your question or request an appointment by call or WhatsApp. Your booking is confirmed when reception agrees a date and time. After-hours messages are handled when reception reopens.