Your First Visit
What to Expect as a New Patient
Here is the new patient information you need before your first visit to Optimum Audiology. Our practice is led by Dr. Kristi Mendoza, Au.D., who has practiced audiology since 1991. We start by asking about your hearing, your health, and the moments where listening is hardest. Then we test your hearing in a sound booth and explain the results before you leave. There's no rush and no pressure.
Dr. Kristi Mendoza, Au.D.
Owner & Doctor of Audiology
Apple Valley Office
Apple Valley Office
Apple Valley Office
Apple Valley Office
La Verne Office
Jess Ranch Office
Intake Paperwork for Your First Visit
These are the forms you'll fill out at your first visit. Downloadable versions are coming soon. Until then, please arrive about 15 minutes early, and our patient care team will have everything ready when you check in.
Bring any past hearing tests, audiograms, or hearing aid paperwork you have. They show us whether your hearing has changed over time. If you have a VA Community Care referral, bring a copy of that too.
What Happens at Your First Appointment
Here is how a first visit runs at any of our four offices, from the moment you check in to the plan you take home.
Check In
Arrive about 15 minutes early to finish your forms. Bring photo ID, your insurance card, and a medication list.
Hearing History Review
We review your health history, medications, noise exposure, and the places where listening feels hardest.
Comprehensive Evaluation
A 45- to 60-minute sound booth evaluation with pure-tone, speech, and otoacoustic emissions (OAE) testing.
Results & Recommendations
Your audiogram explained the same day, with next steps matched to your hearing, daily routine, and budget.
Expert Hearing Care From the High Desert to Visalia
Dr. Kristi Mendoza, Au.D., has helped patients hear better since 1991, and every plan starts with a thorough hearing evaluation.
Serving Southern & Central California
Four Offices, One Number
Dr. Kristi Mendoza, Au.D., and her team see patients in Apple Valley, Jess Ranch, La Verne, and Visalia. Choose the office closest to you on the map.
- Call or text: (760) 503-1700
- info@optimumaudiology.com
- Doctor of Audiology since 1991
- Real Ear Measurement on every fitting
- VA Community Care & OWCP provider
Optimum Audiology is a great place to go to for my hearing aids. Friendly staff and very helpful. They take care of everything from insurance, to keeping your hearing aids properly working. Thanks for doing a great job for me Optimum Audiology.— Anthony A.
Select a location for more information
New Patient FAQs
Practical answers for new patients at Optimum Audiology: how long the first visit takes, what to bring, whether you need a referral, and when each office is open.
Plan on about an hour. The hearing evaluation itself takes 45 to 60 minutes in a sound booth, and we review your audiogram with you at the same appointment. If hearing aids look like a good fit, we can also talk through styles, technology levels, and your budget.
Arriving about 15 minutes early to finish your intake forms keeps things on schedule and gives you a few minutes to settle in. You're welcome to bring a family member along. A second set of ears often helps when we talk through results and next steps.
It depends on your insurance. HMO plans require a doctor's referral before a hearing test, so ask your primary care doctor for one before you book. Many other plans don't, and our billing team can check yours when you schedule. Call or text (760) 503-1700, or request a callback online and tell us which office works best for you.
Veterans using VA Community Care need a referral from their VA facility first. If your primary care doctor or an ENT has already sent you our way, bring the referral and any recent records. Having the full picture saves time, especially when there's a medical history behind the hearing change.
Bring a photo ID, your insurance card, a list of your current medications, and any past hearing test results or audiograms. If you already own hearing aids, bring them too, even if they've been sitting in a drawer. Veterans should bring their VA Community Care referral information.
It also helps to bring a spouse, an adult child, or a close friend. A familiar voice in the room makes it easier to pin down which conversations you're missing, whether that's at the dinner table, at church, or on the phone with the grandkids. They often notice things about your hearing that you don't.
Our Apple Valley and Jess Ranch offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and so is our La Verne office. Our Visalia office sees patients by appointment only.
One number reaches all four offices: call or text (760) 503-1700. If getting to an appointment is hard, ask about telehealth, curbside service, or remote hearing aid programming. You'll find addresses and maps for every office on our locations page.
We go over your audiogram with you before you leave, in plain language, so you understand what the results mean. If hearing aids would help, we'll show you options from all major manufacturers, chosen for your hearing loss, your daily routine, and your budget. If you don't need them yet, we'll tell you that too.
If your results point to a medical issue, we coordinate with your physician or an ENT. If you choose hearing aids, your fitting includes Real Ear Measurement, which checks the sound in your own ear so the hearing aids match your prescription. One or two follow-up visits in the first month fine-tune your settings, and annual check-ups keep them on track. Questions? Call or text (760) 503-1700.