What You Should Know Before Choosing a New Dentist

Choosing a new dentist can be a time-consuming process that should be given adequate effort and thought for your future benefit. Ensuring that the dental practice you select meets the criteria you need requires you to look at a few factors: 

• Insurance Coverage: Finding a dentist in your area that accepts your insurance is the first step in finding a new dentist. Most insurance providers allow you to call or search online for dentists in their network, which helps you to narrow down the list of options you can choose from. If you don’t have dental insurance or cannot find an in-network office within a reasonable distance to you, then you should compare the out-of-pocket costs of each office. 

• Services: Not all dentists provide the same list of services or type of dentistry and checking their website or calling for more information about what dental services they provide is essential in your search. Whether you are searching for cosmetic dentistry, pediatric dentistry, or oral surgery services, you want to make sure your dentist provides the services you need to reduce having to seek additional services that may be out-of-network. 

• Licensing & Qualifications: Reviews and proper licensing and certifications can enlighten your search as to which dental practice has the most qualified and well-trained staff. Reviews can also highlight the quality of care and whether most patients are happy with the care they receive.

• Comfort: Do you feel comfortable in the office and around the staff? By scheduling a consultation, you can meet staff and get a feel for the office before settling on your choice. Visiting the dentist can make people nervous, so their comfort is and should be of utmost importance to both the dentist and the patient.