Before Surgery

The Oral Surgery Center of Albuquerque encourages all our patients to follow the instructions provided to ensure patients have a smooth surgery by reducing any misunderstandings.

Prior to Arriving at the Office

Our waiting room facilities are limited and there may be other patients there. No food or drink is allowed in the waiting room. Please turn off all cell phones while in the office.

Our office will file your insurance if we have the correct information. Make sure you have read through the information policy given to you at your consultation. It is your responsibility to pay your portion due on the date of surgery. We do not carry accounts. Please remember that your portion is an estimate only. Your final cost may go up or down depending on the actual surgery performed and your insurance.

If you are under the age of 18 years of age, a parent or legal guardian must be present for any surgery appointment. A legal guardian is someone appointed by the court, with a legal document that states as such. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Please make sure we know about all medications you take and all drug allergies. Please arrive 5 minutes prior to your scheduled time to check in. If you are more than 10 minutes late, we may not be able to perform your surgery and you may be charged for unused chair time. Please plan accordingly.

We will call you the day prior to your surgery to remind you of the time and all other pertinent instructions to follow. This is a courtesy call only. Please review the cancellation policy of this office- canceling at the time of the reminder call is not enough time for us to fill your appointment and may result in fees due by you. Please plan your appointment so that you have a ride as needed and the amount due by you.

Please remember under no circumstance will anyone be allowed to be with the patient during the surgical procedure.

Prior to Receiving Anesthesia

There are three types of Anesthesia: local, regional, and general. Local anesthesia targets a single area related to the medical procedure while the patient remains alert and awake. Regional anesthesia targets an area of the body to reduce pain or any discomfort that may result from the procedure being performed. General IV anesthesia is when the patient is unconscious during surgery either due to the severity of the surgery or simply a means of comfort to the patient. The Oral Surgery Center of Albuquerque primarily provides IV sedation.

Prior to receiving general anesthesia here are mandatory guidelines* for the safety of our patients:

1. Prior to scheduled appointment do not eat or drink any liquid (water included) for at least eight hours.
2. Please do not smoke anything for at least up to 12 hours before surgery.
3. The patient must be accompanied by a responsible adult on the day of surgery who will be able to remain in the office during procedure and who will be able to drive the patient home post surgery.
4. No driving a vehicle for at least 24 hours after surgery following anesthesia.
5. We recommend patients wear clothing suitable for surgery. This means clothing, if long sleeved, that can be pulled up past the elbow. We also recommend comfortable foot wear — avoid high heels.
6. All jewelry must be removed. Please remove contact lenses and dentures at the time of surgery.
7. We highly recommend that you do not wear excessive makeup on day of surgery.
8. We recognize that patients may fall ill on the day, or shortly before, of surgery. If so, please contact our office before coming in for your scheduled appointment. This will keep others safe from possible sickness that can be avoided. We expect our patients to show the same courtesy to others as they would hope to receive themselves.
9. If you take routine oral medications, please check with David Collette DMD, MD prior to your surgical date for instructions.

* Failure to follow these instructions can prove dangerous to you and may cause the cancellation of your appointment and a fee for unused chair time.