words Al Woods
Choosing a new family dentist is a big decision, one that means you should find a facility that works for your entire family. One of the more important considerations is finding a place that your children feel comfortable in.
Services Offered
Firstly, one of the major things to consider is what services will you need from a family dentist. For example, will you need to be thinking about potential emergency appointments in the future? A child’s teeth can be unpredictable, which may mean you need to call for an appointment on the day in emergencies.
It won’t just be children you need to consider for your dentistry, but also your elders. Dental services for older people can be more complicated, which is why you should be encouraging them, even more, to be looking after their teeth and gums. Ensure you find some facilities that are open to the whole family, and are accessible to a schedule that works for you all.
How Are They With Children
One of the more important considerations for choosing your new family dentist should be how your children will settle in. Of course, it’s unlikely you’ll have children who want to go regularly to the dentist, but the experience can still be improved to help make them feel as comfortable as possible.
It may be hard for you to understand how a dentist is with children, but one way in which you can help find this out is by taking a closer look at the building. The interior can go a long way in making children feel more relaxed. For example, they may have some toys to play with within the waiting room or some child-friendly books to be read. The walls shouldn’t be too dark either, it should seem a positive place to go.
You will find that a dedicated family dentist will put more effort into their appearance, as they understand the needs of a child. A good family dentist should also understand how a child will feel about the dentist process, as well as with their teeth. This means they shouldn’t be too medical or technical when talking to the child, as this could be quite intimidating for them, and put them off returning.
What some dentists do, is include the story of the Tooth Fairy during the entire process. This helps children feel more relaxed and familiar with what’s going on. To have a family dentist who understands the importance of this story is something that will go a long way in your children feeling more relaxed with going to the dentist, as it makes them feel more involved in the story.
How Are They With Nervous Patients
It won’t just be the children you have to think about, it’s also the older members of your family and even yourself. Nervous patients can come into all different age groups, so you should ensure this dentist will cater to all types of people. In most cases, you will find that a family dentist is equipped for just this, but it’s still something to be aware of during your search.
You can find out how they deal with nervous patients by speaking to them directly. You should be able to do this over the phone, in person or over email if you’re not wanting to speak to them traditionally. Most dentists will be accommodating to information requests over email, but it may be worth you taking the plunge to speak to them in person, as you may get more of a feel for what it will be like when you have an appointment.
Your Family Budget
It will also be worth your time to consider the prices of the dentist, and how many people in your family may require these services. For example, in the UK 33% of people declared that they aren’t registered with a dental hygienist, and this could be because of the high cost of treatment involved which can be up to £300.
If you have quite a large family, then your budget may have to spread thinner for a more upscale dentist. Whereas a smaller family will be able to be accommodated no problem.
Work out first of all how much you are willing to spend for your family’s dental needs, as well as your family household budget in general. Once you’ve got an idea in mind, then you can start shopping around to find the facilities that suit your needs. There will be options available through various budget needs, so don’t worry too much about how little you may or may not have.
Experience And Qualifications
The experience of the healthcare provider may also be an important factor in you finding your new dentist. It’s the reason that some people stay away from new dentists when they open, as they have nothing to compare it to yet, and can’t say for sure how well they’ll do. In most cases, however, newer facilities will be equipped with the latest dentistry equipment, as well as having experienced dentists who have joined from previous places, where they may have had years of experience.
Experience isn’t everything, however, and new dentists themselves qualify each year ready to work, which is why you should also be looking at qualifications during your search. New qualifications will appear from time to time, as new dentistry innovations are made, all to learn more and more about teeth and health.
This is why you should be combining both qualifications and experience when you’re hunting for a new dentist, to get the best of both worlds. A successful dentist will work to have both experience and qualifications on hand and will present evidence to you front and centre so that you know you’re in the right place. Always be wary if they’re not forthcoming with this information.
Reviews
There may be situations where you can’t get much information from a dentist directly from them, meaning you need to look for information yourself. One way you can search for this information is by looking into reviews. As reviews will be posted by the patients, you can get a unique perspective by only looking into people who were in your situation.
Reviews may speak of the service of the reception staff, to the quality of the procedures from the dentists themselves. Not only that, but you may be able to find out how organised the place is, and how long it may take for you to get a booking. It’s worth looking into varied reviews so that you can get a complete picture.
You may find that people who are giving one-star reviews aren’t justified in their reviews, or you can ask the dentist about it to see what they say. Be wary of forged five-star reviews, as some businesses will do reviews themselves to improve their reputation, these should be easy to spot amongst the real ones, if any fakes do even exist.
Word Of Mouth
You may be able to find your new dentist simply by word of mouth. What this means is that you could speak to family members who live further away from you, to find what they have found useful in a family dentist. Or even what dentist they used when they lived back in your area. Sometimes, word of mouth is the best way to find out how useful the service will be to you.
