Choosing a Dentist Wisely

Location, location, location. Never has this been more important than when choosing a dentist or medical provider of any sort. You of course want a qualified provider, but you also want one that you can get to in a true emergency, and those of us with jobs, families, and responsibilities know that emergencies come in all shapes and sizes. Consider the time of day that you will be trying to fit in an appointment with the dentist. Is it on your lunch break from work? Is it immediately after dropping your kids at school, or is it between work and picking the kids up at daycare? The location of the office can really make or break your ability to make and keep and appointment that fits into your schedule when you are having fit your appointment into the time laden schedules of your entire family.

Of course finding a provider who is in network with your insurance is of the utmost importance, but do not just take yes for an answer. There are likely to be several procedures in your lifetime that will not be fully covered by your insurance policy, so you need to check out acceptable payment methods now, before you find yourself in an awkward situation. A lot of offices today are affiliated with some kind of credit or payment plan possibilities, but just like any financial decision, you may need to be pre-approved to use the charge account, it may carry with it an unattractive interest rate, or it may not be available to all patients on all procedures. Look for no interest payment plans; they exist; why add revolving credit with compounding interest to your stress.

You should also consider your needs in the providing professional before making a final decision. Are you looking for a dentist just for you, or will your spouse and your children be frequenting the office as well. Take a small field trip to the office before making a final decision to scope out the waiting game situation. Is it appropriate for kids? If you are considering the location as a family dentist, you will want to know the patient ages that are served by the doctor. Little ones may need to be a certain age, and if you have a geriatric patient as a dependent, he or she may not within the professional’s realm of qualifications and/or specified preference. The elderly may also be on a different insurance policy, so you will need to verify that both your policies are accepted at the prospective location.