Choosing A Family Dentist: 5 Factors to Consider

03 Jun Choosing A Family Dentist: 5 Factors to Consider

For those of you trying to find a dentist in your area, there are many factors to consider. Five, in fact, that must be taken into account as you look for a family dentist that caters to the needs of adults and children alike.

The selection process isn’t something you should rush into when you have a dental emergency as you may not find the best dental office to fit your family. No, this is a decision you need to make when you’re not dealing with an urgent matter. But the good news is that when you do identify the best dentist for you and your family you can trust that office to be ready to cater your dental issues, be it preventive or if and when an emergency does arise.

Maybe you’ve moved to a new town or you’re not satisfied with your current care, choosing the right dentist for your family should not be put off for very long. Good oral health is reliant upon routine check-ups and the sooner you find a dentist that you trust, the better off you and your family will be.

So, let’s take a look at the five most important factors you must keep in mind as you begin your search:

1. Ask Around

You have a wealth of resources for finding just right the dentist for your family. Speak to friends, neighbors, co-workers, your local pharmacist, even your physician or other medical professionals whom you trust to offer references and recommendations. Chances are you’re going to get a list of suitable names.

Some of these resources may be a little more informed as to the skill of the dental professionals they are suggesting to you, but don’t discount the recommendations from current patients of the names you are given. A satisfied patient is always a good place to start.

You can also conduct your search online, there are many reputable sites that rated the dental offices that are located in your area. Read through the customer ratings and reviews, just remember that some of the good things and bad things that you find might be biased in either direction. So, take these online assessments with a grain of salt.

2. Selecting from The Candidates

After you’ve received your list of potential names, you will need to start winnowing your list down to that one specific dentist. A good way to do that is by setting up consultation visits with each of them. You may wish to do this on your own or with your kids in tow. After all, your family dentist needs to be someone your kids feel comfortable visiting, otherwise bringing the little ones in for a check-up is going to be even more difficult than normal.

3. Free Consultation

These dentists should offer free consultations, if you have a candidate on the list who intends to charge you for the visit, you can probably scratch that one from your list. During the visit be sure to come armed with plenty of questions, don’t let the dentist do all of the talking.

4. Office Hours

The hours that a potential dentist keeps may not be the most convenient for you and your family. So, ask when the office is open and closed, that way you will know whether or not the dentist is available when you need work done. Many dentists will keep varying hours, you should never assume that every dental office will be available during “normal business hours”.

If you are going to find it tough to make an appointment based on the routines of you and your family, a dentist that is unable to accommodate your schedule is not the the right one. The dental office that’s best should be the one that is ready to help you out when you need it.

5. Office Atmosphere

Since you are choosing a dentist to work with your family, you want an office that has a cheerful and friendly atmosphere. Visiting the dentist can already be a scary and intimidating event, even more so for kids. Anything that might make a visit more fun, entertaining, and rewarding should be provided for children to feel more at ease.

This goes for the attitude and demeanor of the dentist and his or her staff. Is the dentist patient and willing to put nerves at ease? It doesn’t matter how good the dentist is at his or her job, if their personality isn’t a good fit then you probably need to continue your search.