There’s nothing better than cracking open a brand-new calendar planner at the start of the new year. I love filling out each month with important dates like anniversaries, birthdays, and the occasional annual doctors’ appointments here or there.

Many of us usually just make doctors’ appointments as needed, but there are annual doctors’ appointments you should be making every year. Here are the yearly doctor appointments you should pencil in right now.

Annual doctors’ appointments

1. Vision exam

This year, the American Optometric Association (AOA) released updated eye health and vision examination clinical practice guidelines for adults. These new guidelines recommend annual, in-person comprehensive eye exams for adults ages 18+ regardless of current prescriptions, history of visual impairments, or state of eye health.

Optometrist Ronald L. Benner, AOA president, echoes the importance of annual eye exams. “An in-person, annual eye exam is a critical part of every individual’s primary health care plan,” he says. “Through a comprehensive exam, the doctor of optometry is not only evaluating a patient’s vision, but we directly view the inside of the eye including the blood vessels, retina, and optic nerves, which are a direct extension of the brain. We [essentially] get an inside view of our patient’s overall health and wellness.” 

Plus, optometrists can identify over 270 other diseases (including non-eye-related conditions) by way of a visual examination. This includes things like ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and tumors. “[We are] putting patients on the path to good health sometimes long before visible symptoms or irreparable damage occurs,” remarks Benner. 

Who knew a visit to your optometrist should be on your list of yearly doctor appointments?

2. Physical exam

One of the first annual doctor appointments you should add to your calendar is an annual physical with your primary care physician. Annual physicals help identify potential problems and risks that can affect your health and well-being in the future.

“Physical exams provide an opportunity to check in on your overall health, which can also help you forge a relationship with your primary care provider,” shares the Cleveland Clinic, “and that comes in handy for the times when something actually is wrong.”

Even if you’re feeling perfectly healthy and in tip-top shape, it’s still a good idea to make an annual physical one of your yearly doctor appointments.

3. Teeth cleaning

Another annual doctors’ appointment to add to your list includes a trip, or two, to your dentist for an annual or bi-annual cleaning. Even though you may brush, floss, rinse, tongue scrape, and whiten, you still need to pay a trip to the dentist at least once or twice a year.

“Even if you take good care of your teeth and gums at home, it is still important that you regularly visit your dentist who is professionally trained to check for problems you may not see or feel yourself,” says Delta Dental. Think of things like cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer. Hey, that oral microbiome is important.

The frequency at which you visit your dentist should be based on several factors including your current oral health condition, general health status, individual oral hygiene habits, and medical conditions, as well as your own self- and dentist-assessed risk for oral health problems. 

However, Delta Dental notes that once or twice a year has been the general recommendation in the U.S. for many years.

4. Skin cancer screening

The next annual doctors’ appointments you should consider is a trip to the dermatologist. Not only can your dermatologist conduct an annual skin cancer screening (wear your SPF, people), but then you can discuss any current skincare issues you may be facing (pun intended) including acne, eczema, and rosacea. They can even remove pesky milia, moles, or warts that may have developed since your last visit.

Also, if you currently have any prescription skincare products, they can renew those for the next 12-month cycle. It’s so annoying when a prescription runs out and you’re not prepared with an approved renewal, which is all the more reason to add dermatologists to your yearly doctor appointments list.

5. Well-woman visit

One of my least favorite annual doctors’ appointments of all time — a well-woman visit with my ob-gyn. (Insert eye roll here.) I swear, your annual ob-gyn appointment is like taxes. By the time you head back for that next visit, you’re thinking to yourself, “Didn’t I just do this?!”

If you’re anything like me, this may be one of your least favorite yearly doctor appointments of the year, but truth be told, the Queen V needs to be checked out and taken care of just like a car goes in for an oil change and regularly scheduled maintenance. 

This is also a great opportunity to talk to your ob-gym about any birth control prescriptions, hormone questions, or period problems.

6. Mammogram

Speaking of a well-woman visit, another annual doctors’ appointment you’ll want to schedule is a mammogram. If you’re getting the Queen V checked, you’ll also want to show some love to the girls.

Most mammograms are given to women beginning at age 40, but if you have a history of breast cancer, you may be screened 10 years before the age at which the first-degree relative was diagnosed with breast cancer. Obviously, you’ll want to chat with your ob-gyn or primary care physician about what cadence would work best for you and your health. 

Not sure what to expect from your first mammogram? Here’s everything you can expect on your first visit for a mammogram.

All the annual doctor appointments

As with most things in life, everyone is different, so will be your list of yearly doctor appointments. However, this list of annual doctors’ appointments is a good starting point for you to launch into the rest of the year in a way that helps you prioritize your health and take charge of your overall wellness.