The Family Dentist: Finding One In A New Town

The American Dental Association recommends an individual see a dentist every six months at the very least for a regular checkup and cleaning. If you have problems with your teeth, you may need to go more often. People like familiarity and comfort when it comes to their healthcare, which is why most people like to keep going back to the same family dentist again and again. What if, however, you move, or the professional you’ve been seeing decides to retire? You’ll have to find a new dental office, and that isn’t always easy. Here are some tips to help you get started.

The first step might be to check with your health insurance provider to see if they have listings for your new area. If you don’t have dental insurance, think seriously about getting some, particularly if you have a family to support. Dental trips aren’t very expensive in most cases, but even that cost can be reduced with the help of insurance. Where it really comes in handy is when someone has a problem such as a cavity or worse and needs an expensive procedure. If you already have insurance, the agency should be able to give you a list of professionals in your town that will fall under the network. You can go outside that network if you choose, but it will likely be more expensive if you do.

If you are new to the area, you probably don’t know too many people, but ask around and see if anyone can give you a referral. Try your coworkers, relatives, or anyone else with a good standing in the community for their help in finding a new family dentist. Don’t miss out on using avenues of information open to you these days, such as the internet. If you live in a large city, there will almost certainly be discussion boards and such online where you can interact with other citizens and find out who the consensus recommends for dental health.

If you have a fear of the dentist, you might consider looking for an office that offers sedation dentistry. This form of dentistry is becoming very popular with those who have a phobia about the dreaded dental chair. You are simply put to sleep and when you wake up, the appointment is over. More and more offices are offering this procedure, as so many people have found it to be their only way back to the dentist after years of neglect.