Choose a Dentist By Learning About Office Policies

Before you choose a dentist, you should become aware of the policies in the office. You may have done lots of research on the education and experience of the practitioner and his staff, but if you do not agree with the policies in place, you may not enjoy being a patient. Consider a few of the facts to find out before you make a decision.

First, you should find out about the typical availability of appointments. Most offices reserve a few same day appointments each day for emergencies. This way, if you have a toothache or a broken tooth and you do not want to go to an emergency dentist, you can call in the morning and be seen that day. All other visits should be scheduled anywhere from days to weeks away. If the practice you are considering has a waiting list so long that it would take months to get in, you should look elsewhere unless you are okay with waiting that long for each visit. Ask the front desk staff what the average waiting period is for appointments to get an idea of what to expect.

For that matter, you should also ask how long you will typically have to wait in the office once you arrive. It is not very convenient for you to have to wait a few months to be seen, and then wait another hour or 45 minutes before your dentist comes to get you from the waiting area. This is especially true if you have kids with you, as they tend to become antsy fast. For this reason, it is important to find out from other patients whether it is typical to have to sit for a long time before you see the practitioner. The front desk staff may know the answer to this, too, but keep in mind that employees might downplay it in order to attract patients.

Additionally, find out what happens when you are late to an appointment. Even if you are almost always on time, sometimes traffic is heavier than expected, or you get lost on the way there. Most offices let you still see the dentist if you are up to 15 minutes late, but after that, you may need to reschedule. This may also include a fee for missing the visit, so find out about this. Plus, you should find out if there is a cancellation fee for when you need to call and cancel less than a day ahead of time. Some offices let you do this once before incurring a fee, so find out before it happens the first time. If you find the policy unreasonable, you should look elsewhere.

In fact, any of these policies should seem reasonable to you if you are to be comfortable. Otherwise, you should look for other dentists since there are many to choose from in each city. Once you know the policies concerning these subjects, consider them along with what else you know about the practice so you can make a good decision.