Hours:

Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Phone:

(651) 688-8592

Location:

4151 Knob Drive, Eagan, MN 55122 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Patient Information

Preregistration: You may preregister with our office by filling out our secure online Patient Registration Form. After you have completed the form, please make sure to press the Complete and Send button at the bottom to automatically send us your information. The security and privacy of your personal data is one of our primary concerns and we have taken every precaution to protect it.

Going to a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon means that your oral surgeon has completed and passed a rigorous evaluation and testing process pertaining to all aspects of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Dr. Florine is certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and lectures at local and national dental continuing education meetings on a number of topics. He has over 30 years of oral surgery experience.

Up-to-date surgical equipment and techniques have always been the standard in our office. We were one of the first offices in Minnesota to have introduced digital radiography, which reduces radiation dosage to the patient by approximately 80% and eliminates environmentally hazardous by-products produced by conventional x-ray processing.

Schedule your appointment today: (651) 688-8592.

While we make no claim of perfection, we ALWAYS respond to concerns raised by our patients, and do the best we can to bring a satisfactory resolution to their concerns IF we know about them. Federal law restricts health care providers from releasing any information about our patients without their permission, thereby making it impossible to respond to an anonymous adverse or negative “rating” on any number of websites. As you may know, lawsuits have been filed against websites, including well known social media sites, alleging that if a “target” declined to advertise on that site, negative ratings appeared. In some cases a negative anonymous rating appears first and if the provider wants to respond in any way, or if any other patient wants to post a positive review in response, a fee would be charged, which discourages responses. Those who post negative anonymous ratings, often distorting the facts to render them unrecognizable, choose to hide behind their freedom of speech rights. The pride we take in our work hasn’t lessened in the thirty years we’ve practiced oral surgery and we have thousands of satisfied patients. The internet is used for both good and not so good purposes in a free society, but for those of us whose reputation has been built through years of hard work and effort to deliver the highest quality care, it is a frustration we’ve been forced to learn to live with. We invite any prospective patient who wishes to speak with an existing or past patient as a means of evaluating our practice to contact us and we will place them in contact with each other given their mutual consent.

We would be honored to meet your oral surgery needs. No referral from a dentist or physician is necessary. Office hours are by appointment, Monday through Friday. Every effort is made to see emergencies immediately. We pride ourselves in seeing you at your appointed time. Dr. Florine is available for after-hours emergencies, and questions are encouraged at any phase of your treatment.

Our office staff is committed to making your visit as comfortable and stress-free as possible.  We are proud of our commitment to excellence and we welcome you to our practice!

A complete medical history is necessary for every patient of record. Please bring all pertinent medical information to your appointment. Any insurance information is also necessary. Call our office at (651) 688-8592 if you have any questions.

If you are to be sedated (“going to sleep”) for your procedure:

  1. NOTHING TO EAT OR DRINK (INCLUDING WATER), COFFEE, SODA FOR AT LEAST 6 HOURS PRIOR TO YOUR APPOINTMENT TIME.
  2. A RESPONSIBLE ADULT MUST BE WITH YOU TO DRIVE YOU HOME.
  3. The day before surgery please hydrate well.
  4. Please wear short sleeves and remove nail polish.
  5. Do not wear contact lenses (or bring your lens case.)
  6. Regular prescriptions may be taken with a small amount of water.
  7. Bring your ID, insurance card and referral slip to your appointment.
  • If covered by insurance, please call us with insurance information beforehand.
  • If you are certain you will only want local anesthesia (“novocaine”) for your procedure, you may eat and drink as usual.

We accept most insurance plans, but please confirm your coverage with us. Most insurance plans pay a portion of your bill. The non-covered co-payment and deductible amount is expected on the day of your procedure. We file claims promptly and we serve as your advocate.

Insurance issues are researched for you so that you have a good understanding of your insurance benefits prior to your procedure whenever possible, and we work as your advocate with the insurance company so that you are given the proper benefits that your premiums are paying for.

We are happy to provide you with a presurgical estimate of fees. Payment is expected on the day of service unless other arrangements have been made in advance. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Payment plans can also be arranged. Please talk with our business manager for more details prior to your procedure.

Another option is to finance your healthcare through CareCredit. Click here to learn more.

A panoramic radiograph that shows your full jaw is usually necessary for oral surgery. If your dentist has taken x-rays in the past six to twelve months they may be adequate, but we often need additional films to properly evaluate you and provide care. Digital x-rays taken at Oral Surgery Care expose you to 80% less radiation than conventional radiographs. Digital radiography also eliminates the environmentally hazardous waste products produced by conventional radiograph processing.

If you want to be asleep for your procedure, you must have nothing to eat or drink (not even water) for at least six hours beforehand, and you should not be wearing nail polish. A responsible adult must be with you to drive you home. Please wear short sleeves so that a blood pressure can be taken, and bring a case if you wear contacts. A parent or guardian must accompany children under 18 even if local anesthesia is planned.

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For information on prescription opioids, click here.

You can expect to be uncomfortable for the next few days, but we will do everything possible to help you manage your pain, and to manage it safely. Keep in mind that not all pain relief is in the form of a pill. Application of ice (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off) can be helpful. Quiet relaxation and meditation are effective for pain management, and many online resources describe the basics of these techniques. Expectation of success is the most powerful pain management tool of all. Studies have shown that a strong expectation and hope of successful pain relief causes the brain to release very effective pain relieving chemicals into your bloodstream.

The most effective and safest pills to take for postsurgical dental pain are Advil and Tylenol, taken together, if you are not allergic to or have not been told to avoid these over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Ibuprofen— Advil—can be taken along with acetaminophen—Tylenol—by taking them together at the same time or by staggering the starting doses. If they are staggered, Advil should be taken first (400mg, or two of the OTC tablets), followed two hours later with Tylenol (either one 325mg regular strength or one 500mg extra strength), followed two hours later with 400mg of Advil. Continue with this schedule by the clock for the day of surgery, up to and including bedtime; then as needed. In this way Advil and Tylenol are each taken at four hour intervals, but there are only two hours between a dose of one or the other. This can increase the placebo effect, which is very real in helping to control pain. If Advil and Tylenol are taken together at the same time, the above dosing amounts may still be followed. Aleve (naproxen), taken as directed on the bottle, may be substituted for Advil.

Double-blind studies routinely show that the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Advil and Aleve, taken along with Tylenol, are as good as or better than the opioid pain medications at controlling postsurgical dental pain, with risks significantly lower than with the opioids. We are especially concerned about these risks for the adolescent and young adult population. Their still-developing brains are especially vulnerable to permanent changes in brain chemistry that opioid medications may cause, which can prime the brain for future substance misuse and addiction. Recent data showed a 33% higher incidence of misusing opioid pain pills during the college-age years for children who took legitimately prescribed opioid pain pills before finishing high school.

The risk for addiction is always present when taking opioids, and we cannot predict who is most likely to develop a problem with misuse, abuse, or addiction. This can start from a single prescription. Eighty per cent of new heroin users started with opioid pain pills, and most of those pills were first prescribed for legitimate medical reasons. Opioid addiction is cutting across all socioeconomic and demographic backgrounds, including right here in the suburbs and cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. We acknowledge the opioid crisis, and are committed to providing the information necessary for you to make informed decisions about your health.

PRESCRIPTION OPIOID PAIN MEDICATION

Not everyone responds well to or is able to tolerate the over-the-counter (OTC) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil) or Aleve. If pain is severe and unremitting while using Advil or Aleve, along with Tylenol, ice, and relaxation, a prescription pain medication may be helpful. Before considering an opioid (narcotic) pain medication, it is very important for you to read and understand the following information:

Side effects of opioid pain medications:

  • Potential for misuse and addiction
  • Slowing or stopping your breathing
  • Dizziness and light-headedness
  • Faintness or sleepiness
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Constipation

Opioid medications are addictive. Usually, patients do not become addicted to opioids if used as prescribed and taken for a short period of time. However, people respond to medications in different ways, and on rare occasion abuse and addiction are triggered by a single legitimate prescription. It is important to understand the very real risk of addiction.

If you take an opioid prescription medication that contains Tylenol: Do not take any other Tylenol or Tylenol- containing medication, but continue to take 400mg of ibuprofen—Advil—every four hours.

You must not drink alcohol with an opioid pain medication. This can slow down your breathing, or stop it altogether.

Do not drive when taking an opioid medication. If you are driving and are stopped while taking a prescription opioid pain medication, you may be charged with a DUI.

Do not run machinery or other heavy equipment when taking an opioid medication. You may have difficulty thinking clearly, or you may not be able to respond quickly when taking an opioid medication, which could place you or others around you, in danger.

Store opioid medications in a locked cabinet, drawer or lockbox. Because of their potential for addiction and misuse, opioids should be kept away from anyone not prescribed and should not be shared with anyone.

Dispose of opioid medications properly if you have any leftover tablets. For disposal information, one source is www.dakotacountysheriff.org, in the “Services” drop down box.

Please keep this information until all opioid medication is either used up or disposed of properly.

Contact our office if you have reviewed this information and feel you may benefit from a prescription opioid pain medication.

For emergencies, the office number (651-688-8592) is answered 24 hours a day with instructions for contacting Dr. Florine.

To download and print this information, click here.