What do you know about your neighborhood family dentistry practice? Does it have good reviews? Is the dental staff open to working with young children or adults with anxiety about dentist visits? Do they offer special services like teeth whitening or dental veneers? Those are just some of the dozens of questions people across the country are asking dental practices every single day. Here are a few things you should keep in mind when choosing a new neighborhood family dentistry practice:
1. Financing Dental Care – Did you know that Americans spend over $1 billion on teeth whitening products and/or procedures every single year? If you have paid dental bills before you know that with or without insurance it is not a particularly cheap venture. However, taking care of your oral health is worth the money. When you talk to your neighborhood family dentistry staff make sure to ask them what financing options they offer, if any. You don’t want to be surprised as you are walking out of your first visit! That is information you will absolutely want beforehand.
2. New Dental Technology – The technology of dentistry is constantly evolving. X-rays are getting more precise, veneers and implants are becoming more common, and some dentist offices are utilizing 3d printers for their procedures. Teeth whitening procedures alone have increased by over 300% in the past five years, and the use of veneers has increased by over 250%. Ask your neighborhood family dentistry staff what types of new technology they are currently using and intend to use over the next few years. That could greatly impact your decision!
3. Your Comfort Level – Many people have anxiety, are uncomfortable, or are sometimes even scared to go to the dentist. This could be because of a bad past experience, or just because they don’t like the sound of the scraping or drilling. If you are one of those people or have small children who feel the same way, you want to make sure that you are comfortable with the staff of the neighborhood family dentistry practice that you choose. Many dental practices these days specialize in treating young children and have interactive offices to appease their ever growing minds.
As you can see by now, when it comes to finding a new dentist there are quite a few things for you and your family to consider. Starting with the basics is always good. Ask about financing, any new technology they might be working with, and see how comfortable you feel communicating with the staff. You’ll be able to tell a lot about the office with just those three items.
