The dentist that you see is more than a person that cleans your teeth. The dentist that you see is an important partner in your family’s healthcare team. A good dentist will help you with preventing any dental problems, spot any oral cancers, and help improve the overall health of your teeth and gums to keep them healthy. That is the reason why it’s important to find a good family dentist.

The term “Good Dentist” can indeed be subjective, there are objective measures that one can assess to find a potential dentist for you and your family. Use the three tips below along with your criteria to find a great family dentist to help you and your family have the perfect healthcare partner.

Below are 3 tips for Assessing a Good Family Dentist

1. Looking for a dentist with the right credentials and experience

Look for Dentists that have graduated from an accredited dental school and has passed both the written and practical exams. Asking what the dentist’s credentials is a fair question to ask when you see a dentist. Also, see if the dentist is continuing their education after graduation. Like many other healthcare fields, some discoveries are being made all the time. Your dentist, as well as your family, should seek one who is up on all their continuing education credits.

When you talk to the dental office ask questions about if they treat children, teens as well as adults. Making sure that you ask these questions is important because there is some dentist that do not prefer to work with very young children; they may only accept school-age children and older as their patients, and they may refer younger children to a pediatric dentist.

Do you have children that need braces as well as routine care? Some family dental offices offer braces as well as cleaning, fillings, and other routine services. This would be a great time saver for a busy family.

How about people who have fears and phobias about going to a dentist? Many dentists welcome patients who have fears and phobias and offer as a special service such as sedation dentistry, music or a movie to distract patients during a visit. There are also other services such as nitrous oxide that will help patients feel relaxed. If you require some of these services, please don’t be afraid to ask before you make your appointment! A good dentist will want you to feel very comfortable during your visit, and the dental office welcomes your questions.

2. What is the dental office like?

When you speak with someone at a dentist office, is the receptionist rude or rushing you or are they pleasant and helpful with you when answering your questions or curt? Are they able to answer all your questions regarding appointment times, services, insurance as well as payments?

You can tell a lot about a dental office by the person staffing the front desk. The person at the front desk plays an important role in the professional dental setting, but most of all in a dental office. If you feel that the front office person is condescending or rude, you may be too intimidated to ask for what you need. This is not good, especially in a dental emergency.

Does the dentist that you will be seeing use the latest in dental equipment? A state-of-the-art dentist office shows that the dentist cares about the learning, and the use of the latest techniques, equipment, and tools for his patients’ convenience and comfort.

Lastly, is the dental office conveniently located for you? You will be more likely to keep appointments if the dental office is conveniently located close to your home, school or workplace.

3. How does the dental office fit you and your family needs?

Each family is different. There may be very young children at home, or perhaps there are children who are older and have aging parents living with you. You may want to create a checklist of your needs such as:

Pediatric Dentistry – A dentist who accepts babies and preschoolers
Orthodontics – A dentist for young teenagers.
General dental care for yourself and well as your significant other.
Is the dental location have handicapped accessibility for parents who may live with us?

Another point that you may want to check off is the ability to have multiple appointments around the same time slot for everyone in the family. If the dental office has multiple doctors, then they may be able to accommodate a request for all your family appointments during a one-time spot. That would be a great convenience for you and your family.

Finding a Great Family Dentist

When you are deciding on a dentist take your time to find the best dentist to suit your needs. Feel free to call us at any time and we can find the best dentist for you. We will take our time with you to make sure that you get the best dentist who will take care of you and your family’s dental needs with confidence and skill. A great dentist for the family or you will become an integral member of your healthcare team, it will be your trusted resource and keep everyone smiling and healthy.