Services
Gentle dental maintenance for dogs and cats
Anesthesia-free dental maintenance for appropriately screened dogs and cats: gentle removal of visible plaque and tartar from accessible tooth surfaces, with a veterinarian's exam and approval before any cleaning.
Appointments coming soon. Services are subject to veterinary approval and applicable Colorado regulations, and will be finalized with each partner veterinary hospital.
What we offer
Gentle cleaning and polishing
Removal of visible plaque and tartar from accessible tooth surfaces, followed by polishing and a blue-light visual check. Never below the gumline.
A Personalized Dental Report Card
What we observed, what was done, and recommendations, with before-and-after photos.
Guidance and follow-up
Practical at-home oral hygiene guidance, and a veterinary referral when something needs a closer look.
What's included
Included
- A veterinarian's exam and consent conversation first
- Cleaning of visible tooth surfaces, along the gumline
- Polishing
- A blue-light visual check
- Before-and-after photos
- Your Personalized Dental Report Card
- At-home oral hygiene guidance
- Veterinary referral when appropriate
Not included
- Cleaning underneath the gums
- Dental X-rays or diagnosis
- Extractions or other treatment
- Sedation or medication
What happens at an appointment
Appointments are generally scheduled for about 45 minutes. Before your visit, you'll answer a short health questionnaire, including a required question about heart history.
Veterinary exam and approval
A licensed veterinarian examines your pet and decides whether maintenance is appropriate. You'll talk through what it can and can't do, and give written consent.
A gentle introduction
Time for your pet to settle in, while we see how comfortable they are with handling.
Cleaning and polishing
When authorized, visible plaque and tartar are removed from accessible tooth surfaces, up to and along the gumline, and the teeth are polished, at your pet's pace.
Blue-light visual check
An additional look at the visible tooth surfaces under blue light. It's a visual check only, not a diagnosis.
Photos and your Personalized Dental Report Card
Before-and-after photos and your Personalized Dental Report Card, with what we noticed, what was done, and recommendations.
Home care and follow-up
Practical home-care tips, and a recommended visit to your veterinarian when something needs a closer look.
Comfort comes first
A calm experience matters more than finishing.
We take a gentle, patient approach to every visit, with optional Bach Flower essences incorporated into our comfort routine.
- Your pet sets the pace
- Breaks whenever they're needed
- Only gentle, minimal handling
- If your pet becomes stressed, we stop. We never force a cleaning.
Not every pet will be comfortable with a cleaning, or even a look in the mouth, and that's okay. We'll talk with you about other options.
Bach Flower essences are an optional part of our comfort routine, used only under the supervising veterinarian's protocols. They aren't a sedative, a treatment for anxiety, or a replacement for medication prescribed by your veterinarian.
What you receive afterward
A Personalized Dental Report Card after every visit.
- What we observed: visible observations, not a diagnosis
- What was done, and anything that wasn't, with the reason
- Home-care tips and recommended follow-up
- Before-and-after photos
Bring it to your regular veterinarian, so they have the full picture.
Personalized Dental Report Card
Pet Dental of Colorado
What we observed
Light tartar on the upper back teeth. Gum near the upper left canine looked red.
Visual observations, not a diagnosis.
What was done
- Visible plaque and tartar removed
- Teeth polished
- Blue-light visual check
- Short breaks for comfort
Home care
Brush a few times a week with pet toothpaste. Ask your veterinarian about dental chews.
Photos
Before-and-after photos of the visible tooth surfaces.
Recommendations
For example: "Please have your regular veterinarian look at the upper left canine."
If a cleaning isn't the right choice
Sometimes the right answer is not to clean today, at the questionnaire, the first look, the veterinarian's exam, or partway through.
- We'll always tell you why, in plain language.
- The veterinarian will recommend a next step, such as dental care under anesthesia with your regular veterinarian.
- Your Personalized Dental Report Card will note what was and wasn't done.
- Whether a fee applies when a visit stops early is still to be decided.
Pricing and policies
Our proposed pricing. Booking policies will be published before appointments open.
- Price
- $290 per pet (proposed)
- Appointment length
- About 45 minutes
- Deposits and payment
- To be determined
- Cancellations and refunds
- To be determined
The details
Eligibility, limits, and how awake maintenance compares with dental care under anesthesia.
Eligibility in detail
Your pet's safety and comfort always come first. Every pet is evaluated before treatment, and the supervising veterinarian always makes the final decision.
Heart conditions: not eligible
Pets with any known heart murmur, heart disease, abnormal rhythm, or other heart condition aren't eligible for our anesthesia-free cleaning. This is our policy, and a clearance letter doesn't change it. It isn't a statement that these pets can't have dental care: your veterinarian can advise on dental care under anesthesia. If you're not sure about your pet's heart history, booking is held until it's clarified.
Other reasons a pet may not be a candidate
Some pets may not be suitable candidates due to medical or dental conditions, aggressive behavior, or difficulty tolerating handling. Alternative veterinary care may be recommended when appropriate.
- Other medical conditions identified by the veterinarian
- Advanced periodontal disease
- Loose or fractured teeth
- Signs of oral infection or significant discomfort
- Biting or aggressive behavior
- Severe fear, or being unable to safely tolerate handling
- Any other concern that makes the procedure inappropriate
A nervous pet isn't automatically ruled out. Many settle with time and patience. Pets that bite, become aggressive, or can't safely tolerate handling may be declined, or have their appointment stopped.
Urgent signs: significant pain, difficulty eating, facial swelling, or serious bleeding should be seen by your veterinarian promptly. Please don't wait for a visit with us.
Older pets and pets with other health conditions often need the complete exam and treatment that only anesthesia allows. Your veterinarian can weigh the risks and benefits for your pet.
What awake maintenance can't do
We clean accessible tooth surfaces up to and along the visible gumline, never underneath the gums. We don't perform cleaning below the gumline, dental X-rays, diagnosis, extractions, or other treatment.
Plaque and disease can exist beneath the gums even when teeth look clean. Awake maintenance doesn't prevent or treat periodontal disease, and it doesn't replace a veterinary dental exam or dental care under anesthesia. Colorado's rules require this to be discussed with you before any anesthesia-free cleaning.
If we notice something that may need attention, we'll explain what we saw, note it on your Personalized Dental Report Card, and recommend a visit to your veterinarian. We never diagnose a problem or suggest awake cleaning has treated one.
Awake maintenance and dental care under anesthesia
They aren't interchangeable. Your veterinarian can advise what your pet needs.
| Awake maintenance (what we plan to offer) | Veterinary dental procedure under anesthesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Remove visible plaque and tartar from accessible tooth surfaces, including along the gumline | Examine, diagnose, and treat the whole mouth |
| Underneath the gums | Not cleaned | Cleaned and examined |
| Dental X-rays | No | Yes, to find problems hidden below the gumline and in tooth roots |
| Treatment | None. Concerns are referred to a veterinarian | Extractions and other treatment as needed |
| Who decides | The supervising veterinarian, pet by pet | Your veterinarian |
What happens below the gumline ยท Frequently asked questions