New Patients

Welcome to Ann Kearney Astolfi in Bethlehem, PA, a family periodontal dentistry practice.
“The staff was very nice and accommodating. This was an unexpected procedure and they provided great care. I would highly recommend Ann Kearney Astolfi, DMD, PC and her staff.”
Susan R.
At Ann Kearney Astolfi in Bethlehem, PA, we want your first visit as a new patient — and every one to follow — to be as relaxing and seamless as possible.

Become a patient at our practice for:

  • Personalized treatment plan
  • High standard of care
  • Customized care packages after surgery
  • Affordable fees and financing options
  • Caring and dedicated team of periodontal professionals

What to Expect During Your New Patient Visit

You will meet Ann Kearney Astolfi, DMD, PC on your first visit. She takes the time to get to know each patient to ensure they receive a completely customized and personalized treatment plan.

During your first visit, our team will:

  • Review your medical history,
  • Review your oral health history,
  • Learn more about your goals,
  • And conduct a comprehensive exam to detect any signs of gum disease or other periodontal health issues.

Your first visit may take up to an hour or more depending on whether you are undergoing an exam, need a tooth extraction, or other services or procedures. We can provide you with a time estimate before you arrive. Also remember to bring along your insurance card, if applicable.

Before your first appointment, please complete this patient forms:

ann kearney astolfi bethlehem PA new patients forms
ann kearney astolfi bethlehem PA new patients financial

Financial Information

Dr. Ann Astolfi and her team are here to serve patients with a comprehensive treatment plan that includes advanced periodontal care and treatment options. We want all of our patients to maintain healthy gums and teeth for life, and this is only possible with ongoing maintenance treatments. We do our best to keep our fees competitive and affordable, and we offer CareCredit as a payment option to make managing the financial side of treatment that much easier.

As a courtesy to our patients we will submit all necessary paperwork for your primary insurance. We will gladly provide you with all necessary documentation for YOU to submit a secondary insurance.

We accept cash, personal checks, all major credit cards, and CareCredit Financing.
At Ann Kearney Astolfi in Bethlehem, PA, we’ll find the most affordable options for the care you deserve.

Insurance

As a courtesy to our patients, we will process one primary insurance at no cost to you and supply you with the dental documentation to submit secondary insurances. Please be advised you are the member and as such the contract is between you and your insurance carrier and not with us. Many times the member will have greater influence than any provider.

Due to a nationwide staffing shortage at insurance companies, please allow 8 to 12 weeks for insurance processing.

ann kearney astolfi bethlehem PA new patients forms

We proudly accept

cash
checks
all major credit cards

CareCredit Financing

Post-Op Instructions

What you can expect as a result of …

Gum or implant surgery

It is essential that you follow these instructions for at least a week following surgery to ensure maximum prognosis of healing:

*Take Motrin every 4-6 hours as prescribed for the first 48 hours whether or not it is needed for pain. Swelling may possibly occur, this will keep it to a minimum.

*Gently place an ice pack on the outside of the face for at least 10 minutes out of every hour for 24 hours.

Swelling may possibly occur, this will keep it to a minimum. (The majority of swelling occurs 24-48 hours after surgery. It is difficult to get swelling down once it has occurred, therefore, we attempt to prevent it.)

*Take the antibiotic as directed until complete.

We prescribe Amoxicillin 500mg, take two tabs one hour prior to appointment and then starting the day after surgery, take one tab three times a day until complete. If allergic to Amoxicillin, we prescribe Zithromax 250mg (1 Zpack), take two tabs one hour prior to appointment, then starting the day after the surgery, take one tab daily until complete.

*Rinse with the prescribed Periogard twice daily starting the day after surgery. Do not rinse your mouth with water and do not eat or drink for one hour after using the prescribed rinse. It is also helpful to rinse the area three times a day with warm salt water (1 tsp. salt to an 8oz. glass of warm water) for three days following the surgery to keep it clean.

PLEASE…
DO NOT brush or floss in the area on which the work was performed.
DO NOT chew on the side of the mouth that has had surgery.
DO NOT smoke for 48 hours after surgery.
DO NOT drink with a straw for 48-72 hours after surgery.
DO NOT eat spicy or excessively hot food.
DO NOT eat hard, crunchy, or seeded foods to prevent debris from entering surgical site.
DO NOT be alarmed if any of the following occur:

  • Slight bleeding
  • Slight to moderate swelling
  • Slight to moderate discomfort
  • A medicinal taste

DO NOT be alarmed if the pink periodontal packing falls out whether it is the same day as the surgery or a few days after.

Feel free to contact our office with any further questions or concerns and remember to continue your home care procedures for the rest of your mouth, but avoid contact with the surgical site.

Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique procedure

Post-Op Instructions For 6 Weeks

  1. NO BRUSHING OVER SURGICAL SITE
  2. NO FLOSSING AND NO WATERPIK
  3. NO TOUCHING THE AREA (with a finger, tongue or any other device/object)
  4. DO NOT USE cotton swabs, cloth or any other soft or hard object to clean area
  5. DO NOT sleep with you hands under your cheek where the surgery was done
  6. NO facial massages or no massaging that area of the face for any reason
  7. NO PULLING ON YOUR CHEEK TO PEEK: Do not obsess over worry about the appearance of gums for the first 6 weeks
  8. NO HEAVY RINSING/SWISHING with the mouthwash (no chipmunk cheeks)
  9. DO NOT play wind instruments
  10. DO NOT suck on straws
  11. DO NOT blow up balloons
  12. NO mints or chewing gum over surgical area
  13. NO spitting
  14. NO smoking of any kind or use of chewing tobacco
  15. NO clenching or grinding of the teeth. WEAR PRESCRIBED BITE APPLIANCE, if instructed. PLEASE BRING WITH YOU TO ALL APPOINTMENTS FOR THE DOCTOR TO CHECK (e.g., retainers, Invisalign, Snap On Smile, etc.)
  16. No heavy lifting or vigorous aerobic activity for the first 3 weeks
  17. No snorkeling for 6 months
  18. PLACE ICE OVER AREA at 20 minute intervals for the first 48 hours to minimize swelling
  19. DO NOT BE ALARMED ABOUT SLIGHT SWELLING OR BRUISING FOR THE FIRST WEEK
  20. DO NOT EAT crunchy or sticky foods that get stuck on or between your teeth
    EXPECT cold sensitivity for the first 6 weeks or longer. PLEASE REPORT any sensitivity during post-operative visits
  21. SLIGHT DISCOMFORT IS NORMAL; It is important to take the Motrin (Ibuprofen) 600mg as directed, one 600mg tab every 4-6 hours for the first 2 days and as needed after that
  22. CALL US IMMEDIATELY IF YOU HAVE SUDDEN INCREASED PAIN, CONTINUOUS
  23. BLEEDING, OR HEAT FROM THE SURGICAL SITE
  24. Patient MUST return to our office 1 week after surgery, 3 weeks after surgery, and 6 six weeks after surgery for post-operative visits
  25. AFTER THE 6TH WEEK, you may brush the surgical area with the special extra soft toothbrush given to you for the following 6 months

LANAP Laser Gum surgery

LANAP After Care Instructions
What to expect…

  1. Do not be alarmed with any color changes or appearance of gum tissue following laser therapy. Gum tissue can turn gray, yellow, red, blue, purple and “stringy” and reflects a normal response to laser treatments. A fibrin clot will form around the teeth in the healing process which appears as a whitish color at the gum line.
    You must leave this material alone until it heals naturally and disappears.
  2. Do not apply excessive tongue or cheek pressure to the treated area.
  3. Do not be alarmed if one or all of the following occurs:
    Light bleeding
    Slight swelling
    Some soreness, tenderness or tooth sensitivity
    Medicinal taste from the Periogard
  4. Swelling may possibly occur. To keep this at a minimum, gently place an ice pack on the outside of the face for 20 minutes each hour for 24 waking hours.
  5. Some oozing of blood may occur and will appear to be greatly exaggerated when it dissolves in saliva. Determine the site of the oozing and place pressure with a moistened tea bag for 20 minutes. When resting, elevate your head with an extra pillow.
  6. Please call the office at (610)882-1501 if any of the following occurs:
    Prolonged or severe pain
    Prolonged or excessive bleeding
    Considerably elevated or persistent temperature
  7. Please take all of the prescribe medications exactly as directed. The entire bottle of antibiotics should be taken for the stated number of days until completion. The Motrin (Ibuprofen) is prescribed to minimize tissue swelling and local inflammation and reduce post-operative pain and sensitivity which are natural side effects of minor surgery.
  8. Refrain from aerobic activity for 48 hours following the surgery.
  9. Try to keep your mouth as clean as possible in order to help the healing process. Do not brush or floss the treated area until after your post-operative visit in approximately 7-10 days.
  10. Do not rinse with anything the day of the surgery. Starting the day after the procedure, you may rinse your mouth 2 times a day with the Periogard. In between the Periogard rinses, you may rinse with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon of salt dissolved in an 8oz. glass of warm water).
  11. You will be on a liquid diet for the first 3 days.
  12. You will start with “mushy”/soft foods from days 4-7.
  13. Starting one week after the procedure, continue with a diet of smart food choices for the remainder of the month. It is important to maintain a good food and fluid intake. Try to eat soft but nutritious foods until you can comfortably return to a normal diet. Please refer to the Post LANAP Treatment Diet as stated below.
  14. Avoid spicy or excessively hot foods during the initial 3 day liquid diet period.
  15. When eating do not chew on the side of your mouth which has been treated.
  16. Do not be alarmed if as soon as two weeks after treatment and extending as long as one year or more, the teeth may become sore and tender as the bone and ligaments around the teeth regenerate and become more firm. This is a sign of healing but also indicates the presence of a bite imbalance that may need to be adjusted.
  17. “Spaces” between your teeth can result from reduction of inflammation, swelling, and the removal of diseased tissue after the LANAP treatment. These spaces usually fill in over time, and again, bite adjustment is critical to making sure the teeth and the papilla is not traumatized and can regrow.
  18. After your active periodontal treatment is completed, follow up care and periodontal maintenance visits are extremely important to preserve the work that has been done.

POST LANAP Treatment Diet Instructions

The first three days following laser therapy, you will need to follow a liquid-like only to allow healing. Anything that could be put in a blender to drink is ideal. The purpose of this is to protect the clot that is acting as a “band-aid” between the gums and the teeth. Do not drink through a straw as this creates a vacuum in your mouth that can disturb the “band-aid”.

The next four days, you may start eating foods with a “mushy” consistency such as those listed below.

Starting 7-10 days after treatment soft foods may be allowable. The time to start on soft foods is dependent upon the loss of the white material (fibrin clot) that appeared around your teeth following LANAP treatment. Soft foods should have the consistency of pasta, fish, chicken or steamed vegetables. You may then gradually add back your regular diet choices.

Please remember that even after ten days, healing is not complete. You should continue to make smart food choices for the first month following treatment. Soft foods are better.

“Mushy” Diet Suggestions

  • Anything that can be put through a food blender
  • Cream of Wheat or oatmeal
  • Mashed avocado, mashed bananas or any mashed fruit, applesauce
  • Mashed potatoes, mashed yams, baked potato or baked sweet potato, butternut squash
  • Broth or creamed soup
  • Cottage cheese, cream cheese or soft cheese
  • Creamy peanut butter without solid pieces
  • Eggs any style
  • Jell-O, pudding, ice cream, yogurt
  • Milkshake or smoothies
  • Ensure, Slim fast shakes or other nutritional drinks
  • Avoid anything hard, crunchy or with seeds

Call Ann Kearney Astolfi in Bethlehem, PA today at 610.882.1501 to schedule an appointment!

Your local periodontal dentistry team: 2299 Brodhead Road, Suite F, Bethlehem, PA 18020.

Doctor Referral Form

Fill out the form and we’ll follow up with a few appointment options. Or, call 610.882.1501 now to schedule directly.

“The staff was very nice and accommodating. This was an unexpected procedure and they provided great care. I would highly recommend Ann Kearney Astolfi, DMD, PC and her staff.”
Susan R.