Your child is not feeling well. You called and got a same-day appointment. Now you are heading to the office and wondering what the next hour is actually going to look like.
For many families — especially those visiting White’s Pediatrics for the first time — that uncertainty adds an extra layer of stress to an already stressful situation. The more you know about what to expect before you walk in, the more confident and prepared you will feel when you arrive. This guide walks you through exactly what happens from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave with a clear plan in hand.
Before You Arrive: What to Prepare
Getting a few things together before you leave the house makes check-in faster and means your child spends less time waiting. New patient forms are available for download on the New Patients page at whitespediatrics.com. Completing them in advance significantly reduces time spent on paperwork in the office.
Bring with you:
- Your child’s insurance card — all insurances accepted including Medicaid and PeachCare
- A valid photo ID for the parent or guardian
- A list of any current medications and dosages
- Medical history if your child is new to White’s Pediatrics
- A note of when symptoms started and how they have progressed
- Any school or sports forms needing to be completed during the visit
Step 1 -- Arrival and Check-In
When you arrive, our front desk team will greet you and begin the check-in process. This typically takes five to ten minutes and involves verifying your child’s information, confirming insurance coverage, and collecting any completed paperwork. Walk-in visits are accepted at all three locations, though scheduling an appointment in advance is strongly recommended to reduce your wait time.
For families using Medicaid or PeachCare, our team verifies these plans quickly. Children under the age of 21 enrolled in standard Medicaid generally have no copayments for medical visits. If there is any question about coverage, we address it transparently at check-in so there are no surprises when you leave. All locations also have Spanish-speaking staff available if you prefer to communicate in Spanish.
Step 2 -- Being Called Back
Once check-in is complete, a member of our clinical team will call your child back to the examination area. In the examination room, a nurse or medical assistant will take your child’s vital signs — temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, weight, and blood pressure depending on your child’s age and the nature of the visit. They will also ask you to describe your child’s symptoms and how long the illness has been present.
Step 3 -- The Provider Evaluation
Your child’s White’s Pediatrics provider will come in to conduct the examination. This typically takes between ten and twenty minutes depending on the complexity of your child’s symptoms. The provider reviews the information gathered by the nurse, examines your child directly, and asks follow-up questions. Depending on what they observe, they may examine the ears, throat, lymph nodes, chest, abdomen, or skin — wherever the symptoms point.
Your child’s provider is specifically trained in pediatric medicine, which means they evaluate your child through the lens of how children’s bodies respond to illness differently than adults. That specialization is what you receive when you choose a pediatric practice over a general urgent care clinic.
Step 4 -- Rapid Testing When Needed
If your child’s symptoms suggest a specific infection, the provider may recommend rapid on-site testing to confirm the diagnosis before prescribing treatment. Rapid testing is available at all three White’s Pediatrics locations — Dalton, Chatsworth, and Calhoun.
Available rapid tests at all locations:
- Strep throat
- Influenza A and B
- RSV
- COVID-19
Results come back during the same visit, which means the provider can build your child’s treatment plan based on confirmed information rather than assumptions. You do not leave without knowing what your child has.
Step 5 -- The Diagnosis and Treatment Plan
Once the examination is complete and any test results are available, your child’s provider will explain what they found in clear, plain language. A good pediatric visit means you walk out knowing the following.
- What your child has and what caused it
- Whether medication is needed and exactly how to give it
- What to expect over the next 24 to 72 hours as your child recovers
- Specific signs to watch for that would indicate things are getting worse
- Exactly when to call back or return if your concerns increase
Step 6 -- Prescriptions and Next Steps
If medication is prescribed, the prescription is sent electronically to your preferred pharmacy during the visit. Before you leave, confirm which pharmacy your prescription was sent to. If your child needs a follow-up visit, a referral, or school excuse notes, those are handled at this stage as well. Our team completes standard school excuse notes during the same visit when requested.
Step 7 -- Check-Out
The final step is check-out at the front desk, where any applicable information is confirmed, your next appointment is scheduled if needed, and you receive any printed after-visit instructions. The total time for a same-day sick visit at White’s Pediatrics from arrival to departure is typically between 30 and 60 minutes depending on the patient’s condition and whether testing is involved.
After-Hours Sick Visits at Our Dalton Location
The same process described above applies to after-hours urgent care visits at the White’s Pediatrics Dalton location, which operates Monday through Friday from 5PM to 9PM and Saturday through Sunday from 8AM to 12PM. The level of care, the clinical team, rapid testing at the same location, and the commitment to leaving with a clear plan are the same regardless of what time you walk in.
Our Chatsworth and Calhoun locations offer same-day sick appointments during regular office hours, Monday through Friday from 8AM to 5PM. Rapid testing for strep, flu, RSV, and COVID is available at both locations as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need insurance to be seen?
White’s Pediatrics accepts all insurances, including Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids. If you have questions about coverage, call (706) 876-2130 before your visit and our team will verify your plan.
Can I walk in without a scheduled appointment?
Walk-in visits are accepted at all three locations. Scheduling an appointment in advance is strongly recommended to reduce your wait time, especially during busy illness seasons.
Do you have Spanish-speaking staff?
Yes. All three White’s Pediatrics locations have Spanish-speaking staff available to assist you throughout your visit.
Can I request a specific provider?
Yes. When scheduling your visit, let our team know if your child has a preferred provider and we will do our best to accommodate that request.
The stress of a sick child is real enough without the added anxiety of not knowing what the next hour will look like. We hope this guide makes your visit to White’s Pediatrics feel familiar before you even walk in the door. For additional guidance on preparing for pediatric visits, the American Academy of Pediatrics at healthychildren.org offers helpful resources for parents.
White’s Pediatrics serves families across Dalton, Chatsworth, and Calhoun, Georgia.
Call us at (706) 876-2130
Dalton Urgent Care: Mon-Fri 5PM-9PM / Sat-Sun 8AM-12PM- Dalton, Chatsworth and Calhoun: Mon-Fri 8AM-5PM
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