Five Steps to Finding a New Dentist

When it comes to building a new relationship with any professional, it is important to know what you will get for your time and to be comfortable sharing your medical concerns. You may be leaving your parents' insurance and looking for a doctor on your own, you may be a new parent searching for just the right pediatric specialist, you may be looking for a specialist for a specific concern, or you are looking to switch your general practitioner. No matter what, the relationship you forge will always be very personal, yet there are at least five basic criteria that you or anyone can use to help locate the right dentist for you or members of your family.

The first step is to acknowledge what you are looking for in your future dentist. If you are looking for someone who can treat your entire family because they are not only comfortable with, but familiar with, treating children then it should be on your list of criteria.

Step two should involve breaking down what you need beyond the general visits and assistance. Do you need to find a professional that believes in pain-free procedures, do you need frequent prosthodontic assistance with replaced teeth; do you require braces or specialized treatment in endodontics or periodontics, for example?

The third step is to research his or her background as much as you can. You can search the American Board of General Dentistry to see if they are board certified, which means they passed all examination and practice requirements to meet a high standard of practice. There is also information, through trusted sites, where you can discover their education, awards, publication, and their practice's legal history with patient suits.

This brings us to step four, which is when you will select your top two or three dentist and set up a consultation visit. During your visit you should be able to actually meet and have a conversation with the doctor, ask all of your questions, receive honest and accurate answers, see their equipment and immediately feel comfortable with him or her.

Step five is to actually follow through with one or two of the doctors. Remember, until you feel like the doctor you've selected is as committed to your oral health as you are, or is inspiring you to be more committed, you are still testing the waters.

Finding the best dentist for your needs is a great step towards improving your oral health. After all, it has been studied and admitted that if more patients felt comfortable in the office and chair then they would go more often. If the conversations have an easy flow the patients are also more likely to take the professional critique and warnings as friendly advice and be more proactive between visits.