General Information

There are three ways to become a patient with us:

1. Your dentist, hygienist or family doctor can refer you directly.
2. You can refer yourself. A referral from your family dentist is not required.
3. Some of our best patients come from our best patients! We welcome and encourage referrals from our loyal patients who have visited us in the past.

There is ample free parking directly in front of our office.  The office is completely barrier free (wheelchair accessible).

We get asked this question a lot.  So much so, that we performed a study to provide an evidence-based response to the question “Is this going to hurt?”.  Results of the study, which were published in the Dentistry Journal, showed a positive correlation between anticipated pain and actual pain.  The factors that influenced the amount of pain our patients felt after surgery were things like:

• anticipated pain (I think it’s going to hurt, therefore it is vs. I don’t think this will hurt so bad, therefore it isn’t)
• age (older individuals reported experiencing less pain)
• sedation during surgery (patients under sedation during their treatment reported less pain during recovery)
• the number of pain pills used during the recovery period (more pain pills, more pain, as expected).

To make your experience with us as comfortable as possible, we use a combination of topical and local anesthetics as well as intravenous sedation with one of our registered nurses, should you be interested in this avenue.

Check out the study here!

The decision to pursue periodontal treatment and wellness is an important one and should be treated as such.  Therefore, when deciding who to entrust your oral health care to, we have generated a series of questions that you should ask your dentist, periodontist or oral surgeon in advance of your treatment.

• How many of these procedures have you done before?
• What is your success rate of this procedure?
• What are the possible complications?  And what will you do for me if these complications occur?
• What brand of implants do you use?  Does the brand of implant matter?
• How long do you anticipate my healing time will be after this surgery?
• How will this procedure help me in the long term?

Most of my major life decisions were made on canoe trips.  Things like, the choice to go to dental school, to open my own practice, to grow my hair out… While on a canoe trip to Temagami in 2002, I was inspired to design the office you see now in Fonthill.  I figured that you could choose to decorate a dental office with pictures of diseased gums, or canoes.  I chose canoes!  I hope the theme resonates with you.  See how many you can spot on your next trip to our office.

We strive to support you and your patient by providing the highest quality of care. For us to do this smoothly, we would deeply appreciate having the following information before the patient’s arrival:

1. Referral slip – We ask that you include the patient’s contact information so we can assist them in scheduling their initial consultation.
2. Radiographs – We request that you send a copy of the patient’s most recent diagnostic x-rays to [email protected].
3. Any and all information you have relevant to why the patient is being referred. 
4. Urgency – If you feel the patient should be prioritized for an urgent issue (pain, possible malignancy).

Referral forms can be submitted utilizing the methods listed below:

1. Online referral form (link the patient referral form)
2. Via email: [email protected] 
3. Faxed to the 905 892 0005

 Dental radiographs can be sent to [email protected] 

The best way to convey the value of a referral to Dr. Fritz and Dr. Schuldt’s clinic is to express your confidence in their expertise and reassure the patient about the benefits of specialized care. Emphasize that Dr. Peter Fritz and Dr. Luisa Schuldt are highly skilled periodontists who work closely with you to achieve the clinical and aesthetic goals you and your patient have developed.   

Highlight the close collaboration between your practice and Dr. Fritz and Schuldt’s clinic, ensuring seamless continuity of care. Assure your patients that they will be in excellent hands, particularly for diagnosing periodontal disease, optimizing aesthetics, and managing complex interdisciplinary cases. This approach helps the patient feel secure and valued, knowing that their treatment plan will be executed by a trusted and specialized team.   A referral is sending someone you care about to someone you trust.  

To ensure efficient scheduling, the best practice is to schedule the patient with us while they are still in your office. Alternatively, you can fax, email, or call us with the patient’s information. We are committed to contacting the patient within one business day and will keep you informed about the patient’s appointment schedule with Drs. Fritz or Schuldt.

If the patient requested to self schedule: If your patient prefers to schedule directly with Dr. Peter Fritz or Dr. Schuldt, we will contact your practice for more information once the appointment is made. However, our data indicates this method is the least effective for completing the referral. Whenever possible we would greatly appreciate your support by sending us the referral slip as described above or to call us to schedule the patient while they are in your office.

Direct Inquiry: If you have any questions regarding a specific patient, please do not hesitate to contact one of our team members for follow-up.

Below is our standard communication protocol. We can tailor our communication to meet the specific needs of your practice upon request:

• Patient Scheduled: You will receive an email notification when the patient is scheduled.
• Post-Consultation: A letter or encrypted email (based on your preference) will be sent following the consultation.
• Treatment Plan Modification: We will call the dentist or hygienist to discuss any modifications to the treatment plan.
• Post-Treatment: A letter or encrypted email will be sent with detailed information about the treatment provided.
• Implants Ready for Restoration: We will call your office while the patient is still present (preferred by most practices) and follow up with a letter or email once the patient is ready to proceed with the implant restoration.

Please let us know if you have any specific communication preferences, and we will adjust accordingly.  For our co-managed Hygiene patients, we are happy to provide you with a copy of the patient’s latest periodontal probing. Just ask!

Dr. Peter Fritz and Dr. Luisa Schuldt take all feedback seriously and view it as an essential component for continuous improvement in patient care. Almost all conflict comes from a mismatch in expectations.  Communication is essential to clarify expectations.    If you receive a complaint regarding our services, please notify our office immediately. Your prompt communication allows us to address and resolve any issues efficiently and effectively.

To report a complaint, please follow these steps:

1. Direct Contact: Call our office directly 905 892 0800 to speak with a team member. We are committed to addressing concerns as quickly as possible.
2. Email Communication: Please email Dr. Fritz or Dr. Schuldt at [email protected] detailing the concern. Please include all relevant information to help us understand and resolve the issue thoroughly.

We deeply value our professional relationship with your practice and are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of care for our patients. Your cooperation in providing feedback ensures that we can continue to improve and deliver the best possible outcomes.