Your First Visit
More than a consultation. A complete picture.
Your first visit is free and takes about 60 minutes. You'll leave with a clear understanding of what's going on — your bite, your airway, your jaw development, your options — and if Dr. Liatti sees something worth treating, everything needed to begin happens in that same visit.
Here's how the visit works.
A warm welcome.
Our scheduling coordinator — the same person who booked your visit — greets you and gets you settled. If you've completed your new patient forms online ahead of time (about 10 minutes), there's no clipboard waiting for you.
One scan, a complete picture.
Our records technician takes a 3D CBCT scan — about five seconds — plus an iTero digital scan of your teeth (no goopy impressions) and high-resolution photos. From that single scan we create every view Dr. Liatti needs: the cephalometric skull views, a panoramic of all your teeth, detailed images of both jaw joints, a full airway analysis, and the complete 3D model he evaluates section by section.
The exam.
After our treatment coordinator gets the full picture of what brought you in, Dr. Liatti reviews your records and personally examines your bite, airway, jaw joints, facial balance, and oral health. This isn't a quick glance and a recommendation. It's the evaluation he'd want if he were the patient.
A real conversation about what he found.
Dr. Liatti walks you through everything on the screen, in plain language — what's going on, why it matters, and what your options look like. If multiple good paths exist, he'll explain the tradeoffs. If treatment isn't needed, he'll tell you. You leave understanding your situation, not just holding a treatment plan.
Numbers, options, and next steps.
Our financial coordinator walks you through insurance, payment plans, and pricing — all transparent, no surprises. If you shared your insurance information when you scheduled, your benefits are already verified and your exact numbers are ready.
If Dr. Liatti thinks you're ready and you're ready, you can start that same day. The records, the plan, and the financial conversation all happen in that one visit — so beginning treatment doesn't require a second trip.
See it for yourself — your first visit is free.
Book Your Free ConsultationThis isn't a typical orthodontic consult.
Most orthodontic consultations look at the teeth and the bite — alignment, crowding, spacing — and recommend a treatment based on that. It works for straightforward cases. But it misses things that matter: how you breathe, how your jaw joints function, and whether the underlying skeletal structure is growing the way it should in a child — or ended up in balance in an adult.
Dr. Liatti's comprehensive evaluation includes all of that as standard — because the treatment plan is only as good as the information it's built on. The 3D imaging, the airway assessment, the TMJ screening — these aren't extras. They're how every evaluation should start.
You stay with your child the whole time.
Parents are at their child's side for the entire visit — the records, the exam, and the conversation afterward. The only exception lasts about five seconds: during the 3D scan itself, you'll step a few feet back, the same way you would for any x-ray, and then you're right back next to them.
If your child is nervous, we go at their pace. Each step gets explained to them before it happens — what the camera does, what the scanner feels like, what Dr. Liatti is looking at — so nothing comes as a surprise. The goal is simple: your child leaves feeling like that was easy.
Not every child who comes in at seven needs treatment — and when the right answer is to wait, Dr. Liatti will say so, and we'll keep an eye on growth and development at no charge. But if you're here because you or your dentist noticed something — crowding, a crossbite, mouth breathing, snoring — the evaluation will tell you exactly what's going on. Either way, you leave knowing, instead of wondering.
You're in the right place — we'll take it from here.
If your dentist sent you, there's nothing you need to gather or bring. Your visit includes our own 3D imaging, which shows Dr. Liatti more than prior 2D x-rays can. After your evaluation, we coordinate directly with your dentist on any treatment plan, and you'll keep seeing them for your regular dental care throughout.
A few things to know.
The visit takes about 60 minutes. Share your insurance information with us when you schedule and we'll have your benefits verified and your answers ready before you arrive — we file all claims for you. Completing your new patient forms online ahead of time keeps check-in to moments. If the patient is under 18, a parent or guardian attends this first visit — the findings and the financial conversation are decisions you'll make together. Free parking is available in the building lot.
Rather put faces to the names first? Meet the team you'll see at your first visit — from the scheduling coordinator who books you in to the financial coordinator who walks you through your numbers.
What our patients say.
From the moment you walk into Encinitas Ortho you’re greeted with a warm smile. The team takes you through a series of radiographs, photos and use the latest scanning technology to show you how to improve your bite and smile with Invisalign.
Dr Liatti and his entire team are super friendly and helpful. They are transparent about the costs, procedure and very willing to answer questions. I’ll be starting with Invisalign in two weeks.
Super friendly staff. Our 9 year old kid is working through an initial round and is having a good experience. We liked in the initial consult that Dr Liatti spent time discussing our CBCT scan (like an xray) and pointed out unrelated ENT issues we could…
We had a consult for my 12yr old son. The staff was amazing! So helpful, insightful and detailed oriented. I’m a visual learning and really like the printed images they provide.
Very friendly, patient and attentive staff! They have done all the imaging meticulously, and making sure the kid feels comfortable.
Dr. Liatti is a fantastic orthodontist! He is very patient, knowledgeable, and kind. He took a lot of time at the beginning explaining all of our options for orthodontics, and the pros and cons of each option.
Frequently asked questions about your first visit.
Is the first visit really free — what's the catch?
There’s no catch. The comprehensive evaluation is completely free, including the 3D CBCT scan, an iTero digital scan of your teeth, photos, Dr. Liatti’s exam, and the full conversation about what he found. The practice is built on long relationships, and the evaluation is where that starts.
How long does the first visit take?
About 60 minutes total. That covers your digital records, Dr. Liatti’s personal exam, and a sit-down conversation about the findings and your options — plus the financial conversation with our financial coordinator if you’d like the numbers that day.
Can treatment really start the same day?
Yes — many patients do exactly that. Everything needed to begin happens at the first visit: the records, the plan, and the financial conversation. If the plan makes sense to you, you can start the same visit and skip a return trip entirely.
Do I need a referral from my dentist?
No referral is needed — anyone can schedule a free evaluation directly. If your dentist did refer you, we coordinate with them on your plan, and there’s no paperwork or x-rays for you to bring.
What about insurance?
Share your insurance information with us when you schedule and we’ll verify your benefits before you arrive, so your exact numbers are ready at the visit. About half of the patients we treat don’t have orthodontic insurance — it’s completely normal, and our team works with you to find a payment plan that fits your budget either way.
What does the 3D scan involve?
About five seconds of sitting still. The CBCT is a modern, low-dose scan that captures your teeth, jaws, airway, and joints in three dimensions — and Dr. Liatti only takes images that change the treatment plan.