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A move changes a lot at once, and your orthodontic care is one more thing on the list. Whether you are in braces or aligners right now or just wearing a retainer, the steps are about the same: get your records from your current office, then find a new practice and ask good questions. This checklist helps with both.
Your orthodontists make the treatment decisions. Your job is to keep the information moving and ask clearly.
Before you leave: questions for your current office
If you can, call your current practice before moving day. They know your history, and they can tell you what they can send.
- Can you send my records to a new practice, or give me a copy?
- What do my records include (scans, X-rays, photos, notes)?
- How do I request them, and is there a form to sign?
- Is there anything you want me to tell the new office?
- Who should I call if I have a question before I find a new practice?
- If I have a payment plan with you, how does moving affect it?
Keep the office's phone number handy. Your new practice may want to reach them directly.
When you call a new practice
These questions help you learn how the office works with someone who is new to the area.
- Do you see patients who started treatment at another office?
- How do you handle patients who are already in treatment when they arrive?
- Do you need my records before the first visit, or can they come later?
- What happens at the first visit for a transfer patient?
- Do you work with the type of appliance I have now?
- Are you an orthodontist, and who else on the team will I see?
How a practice continues someone else's treatment is up to that practice. Ask them to walk you through it in plain words.
Questions about your new routine
New town, new commute, new schedule. A few practical questions make the fit clearer.
- What are your office hours, and do you have early or late times?
- How far ahead do I usually need to book?
- How do I reach you with a quick question?
- What should I do if something breaks or feels wrong?
- How do you handle urgent problems after hours?
Questions about cost and paperwork
Cost after a move depends on both offices and your own plan, so ask each one directly.
- How do you set fees for a patient who started elsewhere?
- What does that fee include?
- Do you work with my insurance, and what do I need to do on my end?
- Can I get the plan and cost in writing?
If you only wear a retainer now
If your active treatment is done, your questions are simpler. Ask your old office for a copy of your records and, if they have one, your retainer scan. Then ask a new practice whether they see retainer-only patients and what a first visit looks like. If a retainer is lost or broken during the move, our guide on what to ask about a lost or broken retainer covers that call.
How to browse practices near your new home
You do not need to know anyone in town to start. In the LocalSmileFinder directory, you can look up practices by area, see where each office is, and check the treatments they list. Make a short list of two or three offices, then call with the questions above. It is fine to talk to more than one before you choose.
Ready to start?
Browse orthodontists near your new home, pick a few to call, and bring this list with you. A little prep now makes the first visit at your new office much easier.