With more than 75% of adult Americans experiencing some type of dental phobia, finding the right dentist for you is half the battle. But, how do you do that?
Here are some tips for finding the best dentist for your needs.
Network
If you have dental insurance, like Delta Dental of Virginia, you’ll want to start with a list from your dental benefits provider to make sure your out-of-pocket costs are as low a possible. Then narrow that list with the ideas below.
Word of Mouth
Ask your friends, your family, even your co-workers. You never know who’s had a really great experience with their dentist, or knows someone practicing in your area. At the same time, if a colleague has had a bad experience with an office, they’ll pass a long that information as well, sparing you the same incident. If you’re new in town because you moved recently, you may even want to ask your previous dentist, as they might have a great recommendation for you, as well.
Check Them Out
Before heading to an appointment don’t be afraid to do a little background check of your own. With the Internet playing such a large role in patient recruitment, dentists, more than ever, have an online presence. You can get a good feel for the office just from their website. It’s also important to check out what people have said about them online. Sites like Yelp often have ratings and reviews for medical practices. To go one step further, set up a one-on-one consultation to get a real feel for the office prior to committing to a cleaning.
Specialist
Just like your physicians, dentists specialize in certain topics, so it’s important to identify which field is most important to you. If you’re looking to have veneers put on, you’ll need to find someone who focuses in cosmetic dentistry. If you’re looking for a dentist for your young children, it’s important to find someone who focuses in pediatrics. If you or your kids are dealing with a lot of dental anxiety, you can even find people that practice sedation dentistry which helps in those situations. A quick Google search will help identify associations that will send you to the closest specialist in your area.
