Finding a new dentist might seem overwhelming. After all, your oral health is an important aspect of your overall health. As such, you should choose a professional that you trust. The right dentist should be like a partner, and it is important to take the time to find the one that is right for you. The following article is designed to help you with this process and find a great new dentist in your local area. The following article will provide you with an easy-to-follow step-by-step process, including how to read online reviews, the importance of asking for recommendations, credentials, and the all-important consultation visit.
Start With Recommendations
The best resource you have in this situation is the people around you. By starting with personal recommendations, you can avoid a potentially endless list of search results from the Internet. Your friends, family, and colleagues can all be great resources.
They can all give you personal insight and guidance, but only if you ask them the right questions. As such, you need to move past asking if they “like” their dentist or not. Instead, you should focus on much more specific questions, such as:
“How is the dentist’s bedside manner?”
“Is the front office staff friendly and helpful?”
“Do you usually have to wait long for your appointment?”
“Have you had any major procedures done and how was the experience?”
By asking questions like these, you can get a much better idea of what it is really like to be a patient at this office. This can include things like booking an appointment, the attitude of the staff, and the dentist’s personality. If you can find an office with a glowing recommendation from someone you trust, you will have significantly narrowed down the options to a place that truly values its patients.
Read Online Reviews
If you have a list of potential dentists based on recommendations, or you have no leads at all and are starting from scratch, online reviews can be a goldmine of information. Websites such as Google, Yelp, and Healthgrades all have thousands of reviews from patients across the country. They can be a great way to get a general idea of what a particular office is like. Just be sure to read these reviews with a discerning eye.
How to Read Reviews The Right Way
The first step to this is to not be fooled by just a star rating or overall score. If you have a local dentist in your area with a 4.8-star rating (out of five), then you can be confident this is a great office. However, to get the full picture, you must dive into the written reviews. This is where the real information lies.
Look for keywords and phrases that are repeated by multiple reviewers. This is the sign of a true pattern, as opposed to a one-off experience. For example, if several people mention that the dental hygienists are really gentle, then this is a great indicator that your appointment will be pain-free. On the other hand, if several people complain that the dentist does not spend enough time answering questions or explaining procedures, then you know what to expect.
Negative Reviews
Don’t be put off by a couple of bad reviews, after all, no one is perfect and there will always be someone who has a bad experience at the dentist (probably for a good reason). However, negative reviews are still an important part of the picture. If there is a constant theme of the same problem in multiple reviews, then this is a red flag.
Negative reviews can also tell you how a dental office treats its patients. For example, if a review criticizes the long wait times, and the dentist or practice fires back with a rude or defensive response, then this is a bad sign. You want to see a dentist who responds professionally, and you can tell by their response to negative reviews whether they truly care about their patients.
Checking Credentials And Specialties
While every licensed dentist will have a certain level of education and training, there are steps beyond that that many take. By checking a dentist’s credentials, you can get a good idea of the quality of care you can expect.
Every dentist should be willing and happy to tell you where they went to dental school. Look for where they went to school and the degrees they received (DDS and DMD are the same thing, just two different names). You should also look to see if they are members of any professional organizations, such as the American Dental Association (ADA) or state-level organizations like the Virginia Dental Association. This membership is voluntary and often requires a commitment to a certain code of ethics.
If you have a particular need, whether it is for a pediatric dentist or a specialist in cosmetic dentistry, you should be able to find this information online. You should be able to find this information on the dental clinic’s website, or by calling and asking directly. After all, if a dentist specializes in helping children, you should be able to find a note about that on their website.
Consultation Visit
Like buying a new car, you should never make a decision without a test drive first. A consultation visit to a dental clinic can tell you a lot more about the care you will receive there. Most offices will be more than happy to provide you with a free consultation, or at the very least a “meet and greet.”
The Visit
The consultation visit is important and should be used to evaluate the office environment. However, the most important part of this visit is meeting the dentist. After all, you will be working with this person for many years to come, so you should be able to feel comfortable asking them questions and trusting them with your care.
During your visit, you should be able to get a general feel for the environment. Some of the things that you should take note of during your visit are:
Cleanliness: Is the office clean and well-maintained? Is the waiting room modern and organized, or is it old and cluttered?
Staff: Are the receptionists and dental assistants polite and welcoming? It is important to have a friendly and knowledgeable staff.
Equipment: Does the office have modern equipment, such as digital X-rays and intraoral cameras? Newer technology often means more precise diagnoses and more comfortable procedures.
Your Experience: This is the most important aspect of the visit. Did the dentist listen to your concerns and answer your questions? Did they use complex medical jargon, or were they able to explain things in a way that you understood? You should feel comfortable asking questions and confident that the dentist has your best interests at heart.
The Final Decision
Once you have completed your research and have visited your top choices, it is time to make a decision. Go back and look over your notes from each visit and see which place will meet your needs. It is also important to think about the more practical things, like location, office hours, and whether or not they take your insurance.
Overall, choosing a new dentist is an important decision, as this person can be with you for many years. By following the steps in this article, you will be able to make an informed decision and find a dentist you can trust. If you’re looking for a dentist in Magna, come to Cyprus Family Dental where everyone is treated with the utmost care and respect. Please contact us today by calling (801) 250-0203 or book an appointment online.
Come see us today! We’re located at:
3505 South 8400 West Ste 201
Magna, UT 84044