Most pets handle a dental cleaning well. What makes the difference is how the day is set up around them, and that is the part Town and Country is built for. We are Fear Free Certified at the practice level, so the same low stress handling you see at a routine Fear Free Appointment is how dental day runs too.
The video above is from our sister hospital, Columbia Pike Animal Hospital and Emergency Center, and it walks through what a cleaning involves. Here is what the day actually looks like at Town and Country, so you know what to expect before you book.
What happens before dental day?
It starts at a Fear Free Appointment where your veterinarian looks at your pet's mouth and talks through what they see. If a cleaning is the right next step, you leave with a date and a plan.
Pet parents whose dog or cat finds the carrier or the car the hardest part can ask about pre visit medication at that appointment. Given at home before you leave, it takes the edge off the whole morning, and it is one of the most useful Fear Free tools we have.
How does the morning work?
You drop off in the morning and your pet settles in a quiet spot away from the busiest part of the hospital.
The team reads your pet rather than the clock. Handling is slow and gentle, and treats do a lot of the work. Blood work is drawn first so we know anesthesia is a safe choice for your pet that morning.
What happens during the cleaning?
Your pet is under anesthesia for the whole procedure and monitored the entire time.
We take full mouth dental X-rays, because about two thirds of every tooth sits below the gum line where an exam cannot reach. Tartar comes off above and below the gum line, every tooth is charted, and the teeth are polished so plaque has less to grip.
If an X-ray shows a tooth that cannot be saved, your veterinarian calls you before anything is removed. Nothing comes out without your say.
How does your pet feel afterward?
Grogginess for the rest of the day is normal, and most pets are themselves again by the next morning.
You go home with pain medication if any teeth were removed, feeding instructions for the next few days, and a rundown of exactly what was done. Pet parents usually notice the breath first, then that their pet is chewing on both sides again.
When should you call Columbia Pike instead?
A tooth broken with the pink or dark center showing, swelling under an eye or along the jaw, bleeding that will not settle, or a pet who has stopped eating needs to be seen that day. Outside our hours, our sister hospital Columbia Pike is open around the clock and there is no additional emergency fee.
A mouth that cannot wait, after hours?
Our sister hospital Columbia Pike Animal Hospital and Emergency Center is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and there is no additional emergency fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is anesthesia used for a dental cleaning?
Because the part that matters is under the gum line, and no awake pet holds still for that. Anesthesia also protects the airway and keeps the whole procedure painless.
How often does a pet need a cleaning?
Most pets do well on a cleaning once a year. Small breeds and flat faced breeds often need one sooner, because more teeth are crowded into less jaw.
Is my senior pet too old for anesthesia?
Age on its own is not the deciding factor. Blood work and an exam are, and leaving an infected mouth untreated is usually harder on an older pet than a well monitored anesthetic.
Can dental care go on a wellness plan?
Yes. The dental add-on is $65 a month plus a one time $25 enrollment fee and includes a professional dental cleaning and dental X-rays. It is not insurance, and it goes on top of a wellness plan rather than on its own.
What does a cleaning cost?
It depends on what the X-rays show and whether any teeth need to come out, so you get a written estimate before we start. Cleanings done at Town and Country in October are $100 off.
How do you book a Fear Free Appointment in October?
October is Dental Health Month at Town and Country, and every dental cleaning done here between October 1 and October 31, 2026 is $100 off. October fills up early, so it is worth picking a date now. You can read more on our dental services page.
Book a Fear Free Appointment at townandcountryanimalh.com/schedule-appointment, or call or text us at (703) 273-2110.
Book a Fear Free AppointmentCall or text: (703) 273-2110
Town and Country Animal Hospital
9836 Fairfax Blvd, Fairfax, VA 22030
Love People. Love Pets.