Mark the tube so you can do this if the circles later give problems. In the case of a German equatorial mount we haven't checked that the declination axis is perpendicular to the polar axis, and with a fork mount we aren't sure if the optical axis is perpendicular to the declination axis. That's because there is little or nothing you can do about it. Trust the manufacturer and cross your fingers. The next step is accurate alignment on the celestial pole.
Some telescopes come with pole-finding reticles for their finderscopes.
The declination circle need never be touched again. But the right ascension circle does have to be repositioned at the start of each observing session, because the sky is always moving. Aim at a bright star whose right ascension you know. Slide the right ascension circle to read the correct value for that star. On a German equatorial mount, the star should be on the same side of the mount as the objects you'll be looking for.