Your First Visit | Getting Started | Lazzara Orthodontics

Getting Started at Lazzara Orthodontics

Your First Visit

The First Step Should Feel Easy

Whether you’re visiting us in Jacksonville Beach or Nocatee/Ponte Vedra, our goal is simple: to help you feel at home, fully informed, and confident about what comes next.

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Meet Us From Home First

Not quite ready to come into the office yet?

Our virtual consultation option allows you to connect with our team, learn more about your smile, and take the first step from the comfort of home.

Start a Virtual Consultation

What Your First Visit Includes

Your complimentary consultation is centered around understanding your smile, your goals, and what makes the most sense for you moving forward.

We’ll walk you through:

  • A comprehensive orthodontic evaluation
  • Digital X-rays and a digital smile scan, if needed
  • One-on-one time with one of our ABO-Board Certified orthodontists
  • A thoughtful, honest recommendation for treatment
  • Treatment options, timing, and next steps
  • Insurance coverage and flexible financing options
  • Answers to any questions you have about treatment or the process

Preparing for Your Orthodontic Consultation

We recommend arriving about 15 minutes early to your appointment. This gives you time to complete any remaining paperwork, settle in, and feel comfortable before your consultation begins.

If you’d like to save time during your visit, you can also complete your patient forms ahead of time:

New Patient Form
Supplemental Health Questionnaire
Supplemental Consent Form

Or, if you prefer, you’re welcome to print and bring your completed forms with you to your appointment.

What to Expect During Your First Visit

front desk staff lazzara orthodontics

Step 1: A Warm Welcome

You’ll be greeted by a friendly team, invited to settle in with a coffee, tea, or water, and welcomed into an office where the little details (from the atmosphere to the amenities) are designed to help families feel at ease.

Before anything clinical begins, we’ll take the time to get to know you, learn what brought you in, and answer any questions.

If you or your child feels nervous, we’re always happy to slow things down, explain everything carefully, and give you the time and attention you need to feel comfortable.

Step 2: Comfortable, Fully Digital Imaging

Next, we’ll gather the information needed to better understand your smile using modern digital technology. Depending on your needs, this may include digital X-rays, photographs, and a quick digital scan. No messy impressions here. These tools help us carefully evaluate your smile and bite while helping you better understand what we’re seeing and why.
doctor Poblenz with teen patient
doctor Lazzara with patient

Step 3: Dedicated Time With Your Orthodontist

You’ll then spend one-on-one time with one of our ABO-Board Certified orthodontists, Dr. Lazzara or Dr. Poblenz. This is where we slow things down, listen carefully, and walk you through everything in a way that feels clear and straightforward. If treatment makes sense, we’ll explain your options, timing, and what we believe fits your goals best. If it’s not the right time yet, we’ll tell you that honestly, too.

Step 4: Clear Financial Guidance

If you’re ready to move forward, our team will walk you through insurance coverage, financing options, and payment plans in a way that feels straightforward and easy to understand.

We believe financial conversations should feel just as comfortable as the rest of your experience here.

You’ll always know what’s included, what your options are, and what to expect moving forward.

staff at desk looking at computer
patient at front desk

Step 5: A Plan That Feels Right for You

By the end of your visit, you’ll have a clear understanding of your smile, your options, and your next steps.

For some patients, treatment can even start the same day. If braces are the right fit, we’re happy to place them during your initial visit.

For custom clear aligners, we’ll take your smile scan and begin the process to create your aligners.

Our goal is simple: to make sure you leave with clarity, confidence, and the feeling that you came to the right place.

Questions? We're happy to help.

No referral is needed to schedule a complimentary consultation at Lazzara Orthodontics. While many patients are referred by their family dentist, you’re always welcome to schedule a visit with our team directly whenever you’re ready to explore braces or clear aligners for yourself or your child.

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends children have their first orthodontic evaluation around age 7.

By this age, enough permanent teeth have usually come in for our orthodontists to identify potential concerns with jaw growth, bite alignment, and tooth development.

That doesn’t always mean treatment is needed right away. In many cases, we simply monitor growth over time and recommend the ideal time to begin treatment, if it becomes necessary later on.

You can request an appointment online or call our office directly, and our team will help you find a time that works best for your schedule.

If you’d prefer to start from home first, we also offer virtual consultations through SmileSnap, allowing you to connect with our team and learn more about your smile before visiting our Jacksonville Beach or Nocatee/Ponte Vedra office.

During your consultation, we’ll walk you through:

  • Whether orthodontic treatment is recommended
  • What concerns we’re seeing and what they mean
  • Which treatment options may be the best fit for your smile
  • Whether treatment should begin now or later
  • How long treatment may take
  • Insurance coverage, financing options, and overall costs

Most importantly, you’ll have dedicated time to ask questions and talk through everything with one of our ABO-Board Certified orthodontists.

We always prefer to avoid removing permanent teeth whenever possible, and modern treatment techniques allow many patients to achieve excellent results without extractions. That said, every smile is different. In some cases, removing teeth may be the best way to create healthy alignment, facial balance, and long-term stability. If extractions are recommended, our orthodontists will take the time to thoroughly explain why, walk you through your options, and help you fully understand the benefits of both extraction and non-extraction treatment approaches before moving forward.
Treatment time varies from patient to patient depending on the complexity of the case and the type of treatment being used. For many patients, treatment lasts somewhere between 18 and 24 months, though some cases may be shorter and others may take longer. During your consultation, our orthodontists will walk you through what to expect for your specific smile and provide a more personalized estimate for treatment timing.
Appointment frequency depends on your specific treatment plan and how your smile is progressing. For most patients in braces or clear aligners, appointments are typically scheduled every 4 to 8 weeks. If additional monitoring or adjustments are needed at any point, we’ll schedule visits accordingly and guide you through what to expect throughout the process.
Yes. Most patients return to school, work, or their normal activities the very same day they get braces. It’s normal to experience some mild soreness or pressure as your teeth begin adjusting, but most patients adapt quickly within the first few days.

Let’s Create a Smile You’ll Feel Great About

happy teen siblings with braces

Book your complimentary consultation with our orthodontic office in Jacksonville Beach or Nocatee in Ponte Vedra.

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Jacksonville Beach

436 Jacksonville Drive Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250

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Ponte Vedra/Nocatee

190 Marketside Ave.
Ponte Vedra, FL 32081

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Free consultation (valued at $300) is for new patients only, and includes smile assessment, x-rays, and scan, if needed. Invisalign and the Invisalign logo, among others, are trademarks of Align Technology, Inc., and are registered in the U.S. and other countries.

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