8 Things You Need to Know When Choosing a Dentist
Planning to visit a dentist for the very first time? Or, are you planning on changing your existing dentist?
Your dentist is one of the few people who can make or break your appearance and your dental health. That’s why it’s important to select someone who is reputed for their technical knowledge, professionalism, and their bedside manner.
Mentioned below are eight factors you need to consider when selecting a dentist:
1) Dentist’s credentials, expertise, and experience
The very first thing you need to know about and you need to check when you’re selecting a dental clinic to partner with is the dentist’s academic and professional credentials.
You want a dentist who has graduated from a reputed institution, trained under the best in the industry, specialized in the treatments you wanted, and who has worked with multiple patients and now has the experience needed to give you the very best care possible.
The best way to find out this information is to ask the dentist himself/herself. You could also look for information about the dentist online to understand how respected and reputed he/she is in the industry.
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2) Type of facilities and amenities provided
The facilities and amenities a dentist offers are extremely important to your decision-making. What would happen if the dentist you liked used outdated technology? Will you still trust them with your teeth?
Everything from how clean the hallways are and the type of beds and chairs the clinic uses to the type of tools and technology the dentist uses, are all to be considered to understand whether it’s worth entrusting your life and your money with that dentist or not.
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3) Clinic history
How long has the clinic been in operation for? Who owns the business and who runs it? Why was it opened and what objective has it served here? What plans does the dentist have for their clinic in the future? How many successful outcomes has the clinic had? What about unsuccessful ones? Have there been any complaints by other patients about the staff’s behavior or the outcome of the treatments?
These are a few of the questions, the answers to which you need to find before you make a final decision.
4) Dentist’s communication style
How open or closed a dentist is to give you information makes all the difference in the world when it comes to selecting them. Is your potential dentist the type who doesn’t involve you in any of the decisions or who don’t provide all the facts as they are? If yes, you’re better off choosing someone else.
If not, and if they are very open about the process they follow and invites you to personalize the treatment they plan to offer, then he/she can be a great dental care physician for your entire family.
5) Dental insurance
One of the most crucial considerations when choosing a dentist is dental insurance. The very first thing you need to ask is whether the clinic you wish to select accepts dental insurance or not. Next, you need to check if your vendor has listed this particular clinic as a covered service provider or not. Then, you need to cross-verify what services are insured, and what aren’t. It’s best to check the clinic’s website to learn more about this.
At La Jolla Dental Care, we process dental insurance claims on our website. Visit our payments page to learn more about our insurance processing procedure. While you’re at it, take a look at the various payment mechanisms we offer at our clinic.
6) Website aesthetics
The website is the first thing a customer notices about the business. It is essentially the face of the business. Any dentist who doesn’t put in the effort to keep their website at its very best, will most likely have a lax attitude towards their business and their patients too.
Before you make your final decision, visit all the websites of your shortlisted dentistry clinics and compare them to each other. Check to see if anything looks shady or too good to be true. This will help you make an informed decision.
Our La Jolla Dental Care website is a prime example of a clean, simplistic, and focused service website. Take a look around our little world and explore the various dental treatment solutions we offer at our clinic.
7) Dentist’s physical and emotional personality
Check to see if the dentist you’re planning on choosing has good dental hygiene himself/herself. Your dentist should be someone who leads by example and who can really show you what wonders a good dental regimen can do for you.
Similarly, speak to the dentist on the phone to get a sense of how he/she is as a person. Does he/she sound dismissive, is he/she empathetic, is he/she transparent about the service he/she offers – are some of the things you need to judge.
However, all the information in the world won’t ever give you complete information about the dentist who you’ll be working with once you schedule a treatment. It’s best to speak to the dentist in person to get a sense of how they are.
Dr. Han is happy to meet you if you wish to speak to him. Schedule a meeting with him if you wish to talk to him.
8) Customer reviews
From Google reviews to complaints on the clinic’s Twitter home page, there’s tons of information available about customer experience these days. When you read customer reviews, you get a bird’s eye-view about how the staff at the clinic treat you and your family upon visit.
You should also speak to other patients to understand more about your dentist. Friends, family, neighbors, a stranger on social media – anyone who has ever visited your chosen dentistry clinic will be the best source of first-hand insights into the level of medical proficiency and service at the clinic.
Once you’re satisfied with all that you learn, you can go right ahead and schedule your consultation with the dentist of your choice. La Jolla Dental Care has immense experience in the field of dentistry, and we have an award-winning team on board with us. We look forward to helping you with anything you need. Speak to us to book an appointment today.
