New to Abbotsford? We’re accepting new patients.

Moving comes with a long list, and finding a dentist usually sits near the bottom of it until something starts to hurt. If you’d rather sort it out before then, here’s what to expect from us.

We’re Tsang Family Dentistry, on Marshall Road in Abbotsford. The practice has cared for Abbotsford families since 1983. Dr Daniel Tsang joined his father, Dr Gratio Tsang, here in 2009, the second generation of a family that has spent four decades earning the trust of the people who live here.

What your first visit looks like

Your first appointment is usually a cleaning and a records visit. We take x-rays and photographs, look at your teeth, gums and jaw, and then sit down with you and go through what we found.

If something needs attention, we’ll show it to you and explain every option, including doing nothing for now and keeping an eye on it. Then you decide. Nobody here will push you toward the most expensive choice.

If you have recent x-rays from your previous dentist, bring them or have them sent to us. If they’re recent enough and show what we need, we’ll use them rather than take new ones.

How we work

• We explain what we see in plain words, with the pictures in front of you.
• You hear every reasonable option, not just one.
• You decide what gets done and when. Your mouth, your money, your call.
• When you phone during office hours, a real person answers.
• If the dentist makes you anxious, say so when you book. We go at your pace, explain each step before we do it, and stop when you ask.

The practical things

• Hours. Monday to Thursday 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. Friday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. Saturday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. Sunday closed. Early mornings and evenings mean most people don’t have to miss work.
• Where. 33782 Marshall Road, Abbotsford, in the Abbotsford Dental Group building.
• Insurance. We bill most dental plans directly. The front desk can confirm yours before you come in.
• Canadian Dental Care Plan. We’re enrolled in the CDCP and see patients under it.
• Your records. With your permission we’ll request your records from your previous dentist so you don’t have to.
• Kids. Bring them from their first tooth. We think the earliest visits should be short, easy and nothing like a treatment, so the dentist becomes an ordinary place to be long before anything needs doing. Like anything new, it takes a few visits for a child to learn it’s an okay place. Starting early is how that happens.
• Languages. We have team members who speak English, Punjabi, Hindi, Korean, Lao and Thai.
• How long it takes. It depends on what you need. A first visit with a cleaning takes longer than an exam alone, and if you decide to go ahead with something the same day, longer again. We’ll give you a realistic time when you book.

What to bring

Not much. Your insurance card if you have one, a list of any medications, and recent x-rays from your previous dentist if you have them. If you’d like to save time at the desk, the registration forms can be filled in at home and brought with you.

Questions people ask before a first visit

• Do I need a referral? No. Just call.
• Can the whole family come in together? Yes. Tell us who’s coming when you book and we’ll do our best to fit you in back to back.
• What if I haven’t seen a dentist in years? Then you’re exactly who this visit is for. We look, we tell you what we see, and nobody lectures you.

Book your first visit

Call (604) 853-1388. During office hours a real person answers. Outside those hours, leave a message and we’ll call you back on the next working day.

Or send us a note below and we’ll phone you.

Settling into Abbotsford

A few things most people sort out in their first month here. None of them are about teeth. All of the links go to official sites.

• Medical coverage. New BC residents apply for the Medical Services Plan, and there’s a waiting period, so start early. How to enrol in MSP.
• Your ID. The BC Services Card is your health card and your provincial photo ID in one.
• A family doctor. Put your name on the province’s Health Connect Registry. Until you’re matched, HealthLink BC at 811 is free health advice at any hour.
• Schools. Abbotsford School District registration is online, with its own route for families new to Canada. School registration.
• A walk. Mill Lake Park, a few minutes from our office, is where Abbotsford goes for a stroll. The City’s parks and playgrounds page lists the rest.

We don’t run any of these sites. We check this list once a year so it stays current.