Dentist - How to Find One

Over 40% of North Americans have at least one tooth that could benefit from some type of treatment. This means that if you don't have a regular dentist you probably should get one because statistically if you don't already need the services of a dentist you will at some point in the near future.

And let's be honest few people relish a trip to the dentist office to have a cavity filled or a tooth pulled so by being proactive you can make all of your trips to the dentist pain free and easy. The most important step in finding a dentist that you are comfortable with is finding a dentist that meets your overall needs. This can mean finding a general practitioner or finding a dentist that specializes in cowards or kids or both. The important thing is to know what you want and what you need in a dentist and try to find someone that matches your list as closely as possibly.

Geographic location can be one of the most important criteria on your list. You need to have a dentist that you can get to within a reasonable amount of time. No one wants to go to the dentist and no one wants to travel hours one way either. Find a dentist that is close by and easy to get to from your home or work depending on which location you anticipate leaving from the most. Some people prefer to squeeze in their dental appointments during their lunch breaks at work while others prefer to make their appointments from their home base on their days off.

The hours are also important. If you can only make Saturday appointments work for your schedule you don't want to get a dentist that only opens every other Saturday for emergencies. The same can be said of the hours the office is open. If you need late hours or early hours you need to make sure the dentist office can accommodate your schedule needs.

Of course even if you find a dentist that meets all of these needs you also need to make sure the dentist can accept your insurance or will work with you on payments if you are uninsured. Some dental plans limit who you can see to certain dentist who is on their list of approved doctors so if this is the case you at least have a list to call down and check on hours and location and find out if they are accepting new patients.

Once you find a dentist schedule your first visit to have a check up and a deep cleaning so you can asses how much work you mouth needs and establish yourself as a patient in case you have a dental emergency and need to be seen right away in the future.

And if you really want to avoid becoming a statistic make sure you practice good dental hygiene and see your dentist twice a year or more for regular cleanings.