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How to pick a great dentist: questions to ask and where to look

By Staff | August 7, 2020

In addition to avoiding cavities and keeping your smile bright, maintaining good oral hygiene has been shown to decrease the risk for developing serious health issues, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. As such, it is important that you know what to do on a daily basis to ensure your oral health. It all begins with learning how to find a good dentist. On the surface, all dentists look the same. They have professional staff, nice offices, and diplomas hanging on the walls. However, your overall health is at stake, so you need to follow a better process than just trusting someone who checks the boxes that nearly all dentists will.

Questions to ask

There are a few basic things to consider when choosing the best dentist, such as office hours and types of services provided. For instance, if you are typically busy during the week, you should look for a practice that includes weekend hours or extends services after five o’clock during the work week. If you have children, you should be sure to choose a dentist with experience providing services to your children’s age group, as handling young patients in a caring, competent, and professional manner can be difficult.

In terms of proactive care, you should ask what is provided during regular checkups as well as what the dentist recommends you do at home to keep your teeth healthy. For instance, when it comes to daily routines, a good dentist will provide you detailed information on how to properly brush, floss, or use a water pick.

You should also ask about specific policies regarding such things as missed appointments and emergency services as there is nothing worse than receiving an unexpected bill or having to wait over the weekend because there is no emergency dental care. Most people do not have a regular budget to cover an unexpected visit to the dentist, so choosing a dental practice that provides payment options that are flexible can be very helpful.

Once you have narrowed down a few potential dentists, you should then set up a consultation with each dentist as this will give you the opportunity to ask any questions that are specific to your dental needs. An in-office consultation will also allow you to see the facilities. It is recommended that you bring a list of questions with you to ensure they address all your concerns. You should also bring your dental records with you as this will help the dentist answer any specific questions in an informed manner.

Meeting a dentist before setting an appointment will also give you the opportunity to determine if the employees are welcoming and open to answering any questions you might have. Finally, you should be sure to inquire about the type of equipment a dentist uses as a dental practice that utilizes state-of-the-art technology will invariably provide superior services compared to a practice that uses older equipment.

Additional information you should obtain from each potential dentist includes:

  • estimated costs for common procedures
  • how insurance is billed
  • how private pay is billed
  • accepted insurance plans
  • type of protective gear used
  • availability of interpreter or translation services (if needed)

Where to look

Knowing what questions to ask a dentist is only part of the process for how to find a good dentist, as you also need to know where to look. One of the first things you can do is ask your friends and family for a referral. However, if you are moving to a new town or if you live in a town where you do not know anyone, you will need to utilize other avenues to find a dentist. For instance, in either of these cases, if you have dental insurance, a good place to start is to call your insurer or visit your insurer’s website for a directory of local dentists.

An online search is a good option if you don’t have any connections to the town where you’re searching. When conducting an online search, it is recommended that you read reviews written by current and former patients. However, in addition to finding a dentist whose patients are happy with the services they received, you should also look for reviews that discuss financing options, billing issues, and the overall quality of the dental work. It is also important to look for someone who stands by his or her work and supports patients throughout any dental procedure. A good way to ascertain this is to look for someone who responds to online comments as this is a very good sign that a dentist listens to and cares about his or her patients.

Another avenue you can pursue is the Find-a-Dentist tool designed by the American Dental Association (ADA). To begin your search for a dentist, you can simply enter the dentist’s name, your location, or a specialty. Each search request provides you with basic information about the dentist, such as his or her education, the insurance the dentist accepts, and any payment options available.

Looking for a dentist in metro Detroit?

If you’re new to Southeast Michigan, or just on the hunt for a new dentist, please contact any of our three Fortson Dentistry locations and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have. Our offices in Lathrup Village and Berkley/Oak Park conveniently located near all the following Southeast Michigan towns:

Posted in General Dental