How to Choose a Dentist
Your dental health is not just about your teeth and gums. Taking care of your mouth can affect your overall health. That’s why it’s important to find a dentist you trust to take the best care of your family’s teeth and gums for years to come.
Factors to consider when choosing a dentist
Finding the right dental practice should involve more than just choosing a name off a website or doing a quick Google search. Here are some important factors to consider.
Qualifications
Make note of your local dentists’ qualifications and specialties. See if they have won any special awards or accreditation, or if the practice has garnered special mention on local or dental review websites. You can also research dental licensing information by contacting your State Licensing Board.
Insurance
You will likely want to choose a dentist who is in-network with your company’s dental insurance plan. Make a list of local dentists that work with your insurance to help narrow your search.
Convenience
Distance and availability are significant factors when choosing a dentist. Are you willing to drive farther for better care? Do you need weekend or evening hours? Office hours and convenience to home, school, or work can make a big difference when you need to schedule appointments or deal with the occasional dental emergency.
Communication
Not only is the communication between you and your dentist important but the infrastructure to reach you in case of an emergency or to remind you about your next appointment. Ask about how the practice communicates with patients—email, phone calls, texts, all three?
Emergency care
It is important to verify the kind of emergency care available when choosing a dentist. Find out if the practice has an emergency number and ask about the average response time. As we all know, emergencies can occur anytime.
Simple Steps to Finding a New Dentist
Ask for a referral
Ask the people you trust who have a satisfactory dental health plan to refer you to their dentist. If you are new to your area, check with neighbors or other parents at your child’s school.
Ask Another Medical Professional
Do you already have a great rapport with a physician or pharmacist? They may have a great network of professionals that they can refer you to.
Check Your Insurance
As mentioned above, you will probably want to find a dental practice that is covered by your insurance. Visit your insurance provider’s website to compile a list of dentists in your area.
How to Evaluate Your First Dental Visit:
Finding and choosing the right dentist is important because maintaining good oral health is an ongoing relationship. Now you know the factors to consider when selecting a new dentist, steps to finding a new dentist.
Once you’ve visited the dentist, here are three questions to ask to help you evaluate your experience:
- Were the dentist, hygienists, and office staff friendly with you?
- Were they able to provide you clear information about appointments, fee structure and insurance, emergency care and other dental benefits?
- Were all your dental concerns addressed?
If you’ve been able to answer these questions to your satisfaction, congratulations! You have a new dentist!
Leesburg Family Smiles provides high quality dental care in the Leesburg area for patients of all ages. We encourage you to visit our office and experience the exceptional dental work that we are pleased to provide our clients. Give us a call at (703) 214-4514 to schedule your appointment today!