The Good Dentist in Chattanooga: Gum Disease Treatment and Referral Pathway
The Good Dentist is a periodontal practice in Chattanooga that handles gum disease diagnosis, scaling and root planing, periodontal maintenance, and tooth extractions related to advanced periodontitis. It accepts patient referrals from general dentists across the area and maintains a patient panel, meaning new referrals are assessed case-by-case rather than taken on an open-door basis.
What The Good Dentist actually is
The Good Dentist functions as a specialty referral practice rather than a walk-in clinic. Periodontists are dentists with an additional two to three years of graduate training focused on the soft and hard tissues that support teeth. The Good Dentist specializes in detecting and reversing gum recession, bone loss, and periodontal pockets that have developed beyond what a general dentist can manage. The practice does not handle cosmetic periodontal work (such as gum grafting for esthetic reasons) as a primary focus, and it does not perform dental implant restorations in-house, though referrals to oral surgeons for implant placement are routine.
Services and pricing
Scaling and root planing, the baseline treatment for moderate periodontitis, typically ranges from $150 to $400 per quadrant at The Good Dentist, depending on severity and time required. Full-mouth treatment usually spans two to four appointments. Periodontal maintenance (ongoing quarterly or biannual cleanings for patients with existing disease) costs $100 to $200 per visit. Gum surgery, including osseous (bone) surgery and flap procedures for severe cases, runs $1,000 to $3,500 depending on the extent of bone loss and tooth involvement. Tooth extractions performed by the periodontist average $200 to $800 per tooth, higher than general-dentist extractions because of the complexity of bone removal often required. Most insurance plans cover scaling and root planing at 50 percent after deductible, while maintenance and surgery coverage varies widely. Ask your general dentist's office to confirm what your plan covers before referral.
How it compares to other Chattanooga options
Chattanooga's periodontists include River City Dental Specialists, which also accepts referrals and offers scaling, root planing, and periodontal surgery, and Eastgate Periodontics, a smaller solo practice with longer average wait times (often six to eight weeks) but lower out-of-pocket costs for uninsured patients. The Good Dentist typically schedules referrals within three to four weeks. Choose The Good Dentist if your general dentist has a standing relationship with the practice and can send records electronically, or if you have more complex bone loss requiring surgical intervention. Choose Eastgate if cost is the primary factor and you can wait longer for an appointment. River City Dental Specialists is the choice for patients seeking a multi-specialist environment where periodontal work can be coordinated with implant placement or other surgical needs in one office.
Who it suits and who it does not suit
The Good Dentist serves patients with diagnosed periodontitis or severe gum recession referred by their general dentist, patients with family history of gum disease who want aggressive early intervention, and patients returning for long-term maintenance after initial treatment. It does not accept self-referrals; you must be referred by a dentist. It is not the right fit for cosmetic gum contouring (that falls to a cosmetic periodontist or cosmetic dentist), for simple gum inflammation in early-stage disease (your general dentist can handle that), or for patients seeking implant restorative work under one roof.
What the first visit involves
Your general dentist will send radiographs and clinical notes to The Good Dentist's office. At your first appointment, the periodontist measures periodontal pockets with a probe (typically painless), reviews bone loss on X-rays, and assesses bleeding on probing. You will discuss brushing and flossing technique, tobacco use, and systemic factors like diabetes that affect gum healing. A treatment plan is presented: scaling and root planing, possible surgery, or maintenance-only if disease is mild. Most first visits run 60 to 90 minutes.
Hours, parking, and logistics
The Good Dentist operates Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (verify current hours when you call for a referral appointment). Street parking is available outside the practice; no structured parking lot. Public transit serves the area via local bus routes. Confirm the office location and parking details when your general dentist submits the referral, as office moves are relatively rare for established periodontal practices but do occur.
The Good Dentist fills a necessary role in Chattanooga's dental ecosystem: it takes on disease cases that general dentists cannot reverse, applies evidence-based treatment protocols, and coordinates long-term care with referring offices. For most patients with moderate to advanced gum disease, successful treatment here means keeping teeth that might otherwise be lost.
