Your veterinarian will conduct a physical exam before any anesthesia is administered. This reduces the risk associated with a general anesthetic. Your veterinarian or a qualified veterinary technician, under the supervision of your veterinarian, will perform the professional dental cleaning. Once anesthetized, a preliminary examination of the pet's mouth and teeth will take place. The mouth will be closely inspected for oral diseases unrelated to the teeth and gums followed by a detailed examination of the teeth and gums themselves. The amount of plaque present on the teeth and the health status of the gums will be determined.

The next step in cleaning involves the removal of large pieces of calculus from both above and below the gumline. It is impossible to clean below the gumline while the dog or cat is awake.

Calculus is hardened solidified plaque. If the teeth are not cleaned, plaque begins to accumulate and the minerals contained in the pet's saliva, such as calcium and salt, begin to stick to the soft plaque. As these minerals accumulate, the plaque hardens and solidifies into calculus. The bacteria are then protected by the hard calculus and are harder to remove and they continue to multiply rapidly.

The amount of cleaning required at this stage varies a great deal depending on the state of the teeth and gums.