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How to Choose the Best Dentist Near You
When you move to a new neighborhood, the first few weeks can be hectic. You may need to search for the best grocery stores, restaurants, and entertainment places. While you can use the trial and error method to select the best grocery store, you cannot do that with your oral health. When it comes to your dental health and that of your loved ones you should get it right from the onset. But you might be wondering, how do I choose the best dentist near me? Read on to get tips on how to get the best dental services in your area.
1. Start with Referrals
Whether you have moved into a new neighborhood or seek to change your current dentist, referrals can be an excellent starting point. Googling “best cosmetic dentistry near me” can be a good idea since search engines will most likely show local results and give instructions on where the nearest dentist is.
You can rely on your friends, colleagues at work, or your general physician to get leads on the best general or cosmetic dentist near you. Your insurance provider can also simplify your search for a dentist by recommending eligible facilities. After the recommendations, conduct research to help you narrow down to those that provide the services you are looking for. Always ask for referrals from your peers or even other medical professionals if they can recommend a dentist that offers the best services. Check online to see if they have a website and get the office’s contact number. Finally, contact the few dentists that meet your selection criteria to book appointments. Ask for a preliminary consultation.
2. Check The Credentials and Experience
In your research or meeting with your selected dentists, focus on their qualifications. Only qualified and licensed dentists should undertake oral health procedures, including cosmetic dentistry. Ensure the dentist you are about to choose has attained the minimum level of education and licensure. Experience is also essential in oral health care. Check the experience of the dentist before considering hiring their services. The greater their experience, the better.
A word of advice: choose a cosmetic dentist who’s a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Members of the AACD are offered special training to learn the latest products, techniques, and procedures in cosmetic dentistry, which means they’re one step ahead of their peers. They do not only focus on aesthetics alone but also promotes systematic oral health.
In addition, check whether the dentist updates their education. Like other medical fields, new treatment approaches to oral health continue to emerge. Your dentist must keep up with the trends in dental care, especially cosmetic dentistry. You also do not want your oral health handled by a practitioner who has not updated their skills since they left college.
Moreover, if a member of your family suffers dental anxiety, check whether the dentist has experience handling the condition.
3. Check Their Work
Thanks to the internet, we can easily view the results of a cosmetic dentist’s work. Go online to see before-and-after pictures of various dental treatments. However, beware of commercially produced photos. To be safe, always check for real customer reviews and comments of actual patients before considering a particular cosmetic dentist.
4. Look for a Dentist that Offers Comprehensive Care
Oral health is a broad field. If you are not looking for a general dentist, you could need aesthetic or restorative dentistry. The secret here is getting a dentist that offers comprehensive care. That means you do not move from one dentist to another when you need a specific procedure. Further, check whether the dentist limits who can see them. A pediatric dentist, for instance, may only see young kids, while geriatric dentists deal with seniors. If you are looking for a family dentist, ensure they can see each member of your family.
5. Consider The Dentist Approach To Insurance Plans
Out-of-pocket payments make dental health expensive: that explains why most people consider insurance plans to help them meet their oral care costs. If you already have an insurance plan, check whether the dentist near you accepts its policy. You can also request the insurance provider to give you information about dentists that accept their cover.
6. Check Their Policy on Emergency Visits
Numerous results pop up when you conduct a dentist near me search. However, you are looking for a reliable dentist near you. Reliability means your dentist accepts emergency visits. Your oral health care provider should not refer you to other facilities when you have an emergency. They should accommodate your scheduled and emergency visits with the same passion and professionalism.
7. Focus on Convenience
For some people, convenience is about the proximity of the dentist to their home. However, comfort in dentistry is more than proximity: it also covers the flexibility of the working hours. Choose an oral health care provider that provides services for your specific needs. That could mean a provider who is available after hours or during the weekend.
8. Visit Their Dental Office
Once you are done with your research on the best dentists near you, it is time to visit their clinic. Visiting the clinic helps you understand the oral health care provider organization and communication skills. When you are in the waiting room, you can check whether they provide toys to keep your children busy while they wait to see the dentist. Also, check how they keep adults engaged in the waiting room. The waiting room should have more than boring magazines to help you relax, especially if you live with dental anxiety.
Also, your own perception of what looks good on you is an important factor if you want satisfying results. Though cosmetic dentists know the ins and outs of enhancing your smile, they should be able to integrate your own perception to their technical knowledge then apply it. A good dentist will be able to see more dental possibilities if you communicate what you want. That said, it’s important to speak to the dentist to heed their advice as well in order for you to achieve the best-looking smile.
9. Consider Online Reviews
While everything may look rosy to an outsider, it may help to check what other patients say about the dentist. Online reviews provide insight on what to expect from the dentist’s services. However, you should approach the online reviews page with a positive mind to get the general feel of those who have seen the dentist. Dissatisfied patients are more likely to leave a review than happy ones. Nevertheless, if the general theme on the review page is negative, you may also suffer the same fate.
10. Ask About Telehealth Services
In this time and age, most healthcare facilities provide remote services. If the dentist offers telehealth services, you may not have to travel to the clinic for minor check-ups. The dentist can attend to you or your loved ones through their online channels.
11. Trust Your Instincts
We are all created differently. What pleases your friends may not necessarily fit your needs. When choosing the best dentist near you, sometimes you need to trust your instincts. If you feel a dentist has what you need, they probably have.
Before going in for a consultation, compile a list of what you want done then go over several cosmetic dentists to check if they offer such services. That way, you can compare prices and check the quality of work before settling for the right professional.
12. Qualifications of a Good Cosmetic Dentist
Patient-Focused
Knowing how to choose a good cosmetic dentist comes with the responsibility of knowing his or her qualifications as well. What you should look for, first and foremost, is a patient-centered dental clinic. Not only should the dentist be patient-focused, but their staff should also be able to carry out your goals as well. Choose a cosmetic dentist that listens to you, and at the same time can explain your options with ease. At the end of the day, your priorities should be their focus and they should be able to give you that perfect smile using their technical and scientific knowledge.
Willingness to Further Training
Cosmetic dentistry is an industry that continually evolves along with technology in order to offer the masses with better ways to improve their smiles. Therefore, it is essential that your prospective cosmetic dentist is willing to be trained further through continuing education.
Positive Customer Feedback
Patient reviews and testimonials greatly tell about the services offered by the dentist and his dental office. A quick Google search or peep on their social media sites can give you significant information about what previous clients say and think about the cosmetic dentist you’re about to consider.
Specific Specialties
Not all cosmetic dentists offer the same kind of dental services. Before taking your pick make sure that your prospective dentist specializes in the procedure that you’re considering. If you’re not careful, you might end up with a dentist that only offers general services.
A dentist who’s able to deliver multiple services is convenient since you don’t have to go to several clinics, saving time and money. If your problem requires extensive work, however, it’s best to look for a cosmetic dentist with that specific dental specialty or service.
Do a background check as well to know if the dentist you’re considering is well-trained.
Extensive Experience
To find the “best cosmetic dentistry near me”, you should look into your prospective dentists’ experience. How long have they been in practice? What are their specialties? You should also find out which dental procedures are commonly offered by a dentistry office.
Organizations and Awards
You’ll know what organizations a cosmetic dentist belongs to or the awards he has received by checking their website. Most dental websites would list any affiliations and awards, which tells a lot about the dentist himself and his philosophies. Check if the dentist or the dental clinic is a member of the AACD.
Use State of the Art Technology
The technology a dentist practices determine the level of care his clinic is capable of. Check for cosmetic dentists who are using intra-oral imaging, dental sedation, dental lasers, and CAD/CAM. There are a few more technologies that a dentist might use, and you can find out about this by inquiring through their offices.
Pleasant Office Atmosphere
It is important that you feel comfortable while waiting for your turn or sitting in the dentist’s chair. Not a lot of people are comfortable with the thought of having their mouth tinkered with dental tools, and some even have legit fears or phobias. That said, the office of a cosmetic dentist must have a positive atmosphere in order to have a more pleasant experience with the dentist.
How Do I Get the Best Dentist Near Me?
While choosing a dentist near me can be tricky, you can simplify the search by narrowing it down to one that offers comprehensive dental care to your family. At Kate Brayman DDS, we offer comprehensive oral health care to families and individuals in Long Island, NY, and surrounding areas. If you are looking for cosmetic, general, or restorative dentistry, start your search with Kate Brayman DDS. We accept most major insurance plans, meaning you should not worry too much about the cost of care. Contact us at 516-340-6012 or book an appointment online.
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