We know -- it sounds scary. But we're here to make sure your experience is calm and easy from the minute you walk into our office until the second you head home. 

And here's a little secret: With modern advances in technology, the procedure itself is actually pretty quiet and uneventful. If anything, you might be a little bored. (We recommend meditating, counting sheep, or singing to yourself in your head to pass the time. Or, you know, you could always bring headphones and listen to music, too.)  

So what should you expect on the day you come to see us? Well, a lot of friendly smiles, for one. But beyond that, you'll sit down in our comfy greeting room to fill out some paperwork. One of our friendly dental assistants will then review your chart, chat with you about your problem, and take some x-rays of your teeth. Easy peasy, right?

After that, your endodontist -- either Dr. Steven Raphael or Dr. Donald Raphael -- will look everything over and sit down with you to explain what's going on. Once you know the diagnosis, we'll decide whether to begin treatment right away or to schedule another visit. The entire process usually takes a little over an hour, but don't worry: Once we get going, we'll give you local anesthesia to keep everything nice and numb while we're working. We can even sedate you completely, if you're feeling especially anxious. Either way, most procedures are almost painless.

Unless you opt for that full sedation, you should be able to drive yourself home as soon as your procedure is over -- in fact, you could even return to work if you really want to. Some people have mild discomfort for a few days after a procedure, but over-the-counter pain killers are usually enough to take care of it. If you're having a surgical treatment, you'll still be able to drive but should plan on a few days of recovery time before getting back into your normal routine. 

If you want the nitty-gritty on the procedures we'll do or the advanced technology we'll use, you can read about all of that stuff here. But know that our job is to find the best option for you and to make sure you understand what we're doing every step of the way. And the vast majority of the time, we're able to complete your treatment in a single appointment so you don't have to come back to see us any more than necessary (unless you really just miss us and want to say hello -- hey, we're pretty nice people). 

No one wants to think about the costs of medical care, but we're here to make the process of paying for your procedure as painless as possible.

First, we accept most major dental insurances. Just give us a ring at 417-882-0500, and we'll be happy to check out your personal coverage to see if it'll work. Usually, you'll be responsible for making a co-pay -- an estimate of what part of the procedure your insurance won't cover -- when you come in for your treatment. 

We also accept Care Credit, a financial service with 0% interest. If you'd like to learn more about that service and see if it makes sense for you, check out the Care Credit website.

Beyond that, we're able to take cash, checks, and credit cards -- Visa, Discover, or MasterCard -- to cover the cost of your treatment.