Maintaining a pearly white smile and good oral health comes at a price. There’s a lot that goes into ensuring that you and your family’s dental care is taken care of. Understandably, there are a lot of people suffering from dental-related issues, so great oral health care is considered a priority for most families. As a result, it is only prudent to ensure your oral health by getting a family dentist.
There are a lot of dental clinics available, depending on the services you are looking for. Apart from the professional services offered in a dental clinic, some go an extra mile to sustain their customers with after-sale services. Customers are also looking for a reliable orthodontist with whom they can entrust their dental issues. So, what are the extra services you are looking for? Do you know what you should look for in a family dentist? We have compiled a list of non-negotiables your dentist should have so that you know what to look for in your family dentist.
Factors to Consider When Looking for a Family Dentist
Some of the factors you need to consider when looking for your family dentist include:
Insurance
Consider whether they accept insurance. Sometimes, dental procedures can be expensive, but with insurance, some of the costs are covered so that you don’t have to dent your pockets for quality oral health care. It is a much better idea to get insurance for the whole family to save on costs. You can do your research and find one with a reasonable fee structure that you can afford. You will find that some insurance companies offer family insurance, which will be more beneficial and cost-effective for you as a family.
Feedback And Testimonials
Any client will tell you that receiving quality services is a unique selling point. What do their customers say about their service? Look at the reviews and testimonials to get a feel of their services. Feedback plays a significant role when choosing a family dentist. Research and ask around if possible whether people would recommend their services. A successful record of accomplishment is an indication of a family dentist you can trust. Check the dentist’s website or review sites to get a clear picture of what the dentist is like. Such sites include Yelp, Google, Facebook, and Healthgrades, among others. It may be a tedious exercise going through various sites, but it is worth the hustle and will save you a lot of time and money in the long run.
Latest Dental Technologies
The medical industry is dynamic and is always making improvements. Check whether your dentist is up-to-date with the latest procedures and technologies. Procedures such as cosmetic dentistry and restorative surgery are continuously evolving to improve the industry. This is an essential part of choosing a family dentist, as not all dentists offer similar services. A broad range of services with a dentist who keeps abreast with new trends ensures that your entire family is covered.
Qualifications And Credentials
You are putting your whole family’s dental care in the hands of a dentist. Therefore, it would not hurt to do a little research to find out your dentist’s level of education and experience. Usually, you can pull the information online on their website. This is a crucial factor to consider, especially where specialty procedures are involved. Some of the questions you should have in mind are:
-Are the dentist’s qualifications verifiable?
-Is the dentist certified to practice? Do they have a valid license?
-How many years of experience do they have?
-Do they participate in advanced training and continuing education?
-Do they treat adults and babies as well or is their practice limited?
-You want to avoid experiencing any health risks such as referrals because of a complication.
Services Offered
Ask yourself what kind of service you wish your dentist to offer. You want to avoid getting referrals or visiting a different dentists office for every dental procedure for each one of your family members. Apart from professional teeth cleaning and regular check-ups, the dentist should offer a broad range of services. Some of the dental care services to look out for include:
-Teeth removal
-Invisalign
-Cosmetic dentistry
-Cavity treatment
-Children’s dentistry
-Wisdom tooth extractions
-Root canal treatment
-Gum disease treatment
-Preventative dentistry among others
A dentist that offers a wide range of services helps you cover your bases so that you don’t have to jump from dentist to dentist for each procedure to meet your needs.
Location And Accessibility
Consider where you live and where the dentist is located. A dentist nearby is beneficial to you and your family. You can make it to your appointments early enough, and you will not be fatigued during dental procedures. Also, consider the amenities available in the dental clinic. For example, is it accessible to disabled people? Are there elevators for pregnant women and older people? Consider such features when choosing a family dentist so as not to be inconvenienced every time you visit the dentist.
The Cost of Services
Expenses are quite a touchy subject but are a significant factor when choosing a family dentist. Dental care costs vary depending on the dentist you choose. Some dentists base their costs on location, the rent they are paying for the premises and labor costs because they are looking to keep their orthodontic collections at an overflow. Therefore, you will want to compare prices and settle for the most comfortable one and whose services you can afford. Remember, the cost is also determined by the type of services offered, so you should expect a specialized dentist to be costlier than a dental practitioner offering basic dental services.
Emergency Cases
Dental emergency cases are inevitable, and when they happen, you need to be sure that your family dentist is up to the task. What measures have they put in place, and how do they respond to such cases? Are they flexible enough? Do they have an ambulance operating round the clock? Such information will help you gauge whether to choose them as your family dentist.
Office Culture
This may not seem like a significant factor to consider, but for a dentist that takes care of all your family’s needs on a regular basis, how you have treated matters immensely. When you visit the clinic, how do you feel? What is the atmosphere like? Survey the dentist’s office and look around. Some of the things to note to help you make a decision include:
-How is the reception when you visit the clinic?
-Are the staff accommodating?
-Is there a waiting room available?
-Are the office premises clean?
-Will your family feel comfortable visiting the dentist?
If your answers are favorable to the questions, then it is a comfortable place you can consider taking your entire family. Now that we have looked at factors to consider when choosing a family dentist, there are some personal traits that your family dentist ought to have.
Personal Traits to Look out for When Choosing a Family Dentist
Personal Interaction
Evaluate how the dentist makes you feel. How do your children act around the dentist? How does the dentist approach you? A lot of time is spent in up-close interaction with the dentist, so you want to make sure the interaction is comfortable. A good dentist is able to ease the patient into the process and maintain their composure even when dealing with demanding clients.
Good Communicators
The ordinary person may not understand the complex dental procedures and will need the orthodontics jargon broken down into simpler terms. If you are confused about the dental procedure you are doing, and the dentist fails to explain it to you, you may feel anxious. It is crucial for your dentist to slowly take you through the process and answer any questions you may have. A good dentist will allow you to be vocal about your concerns and make sure you are comfortable before, during, and after the procedure. It is essential to establish a good communication channel between you and your dentist to maintain good oral care.
Trustworthiness
Choosing a family dentist is not an easy task. First, you are entrusting your entire family’s dental care to the hands of one person. Second, you are putting belief in their expertise and skills. It is imperative for family dentists to prove themselves as trustworthy for a long-term relationship. The dentist needs to inform you of all relevant information and takes necessary precautions to ensure your oral health care is not at risk.
Passionate
Anyone who enjoys their profession performs better and offers efficient services. The same applies to your family dentist. There are also some who are doing it for the money and do not care about their patients. A dentist should be passionate about restoring their patients’ smiles and offering the care they need. If they do not enjoy dentistry, their clients are at risk of failed dental procedures and spending a lot more on additional services.
Detail Oriented
Attention to detail is a critical quality your dentist needs to have. Your dentist is operating in your mouth, a tiny space that should be handled with extra care. Any mistake could cause problems and affect your oral health. So look out for an expert who is detail-oriented and is sure of what they are doing for the overall oral health of you and your family.
Compassionate and Understanding
Not everyone enjoys being in the dentist’s chair. Some get jitters and may interfere with the dental procedure. A good family dentist understands that patients are unique and shows compassion for each one of them. The dentist should understand that they are dealing with kids and exercise a little bit more compassion when they are in pain. This is the kind of person you want to handle your family’s dental needs.
Aesthetically Focused
Whereas a good dentist is required to take care of your oral health, a great doctor will go the extra mile to ensure your smile is as broad as you would like and your teeth are as white as pearls. Cosmetic dentistry is more of an art, and it aims to enhance beauty. Therefore, your orthodontist should ensure to focus on the aesthetics, especially for the cosmetic and restorative procedures, so that your smile can be outstanding.
You Are Not Just Another Customer
Dental clinics with a high number of patients may not be concerned with getting to know their patients. Although not always true, the quality of service may be diminished with a high volume of patients and insufficient staff. Your family dentist should be someone who is committed to the practice. You should not feel like you are missing out on services. Every experience should make you feel like a valued client.
Personality
Apart from being knowledgeable and skilled, your family dentist should also be someone who can recognize potential risks, communicate with them, and advise accordingly. Then, they will sit you down and discuss available options for treatment. You want to avoid a dentist who sweeps things under the rug and makes a lot of assumptions as it could be detrimental to the overall oral care of your family.
Choosing a family dentist may involve a lot of work, but once you find the one who meets all your expectations, it will be a smooth ride henceforth. The factors listed above are a guide to help you start your journey of looking for a family dentist. In addition, consider personal traits such as experience, how easy it is to communicate with them, and their trustworthiness. Remember, you are looking for a family dentist you can rely on in the long term; you don’t want to be stuck with an expert that gives you anxiety while cleaning your teeth.