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It's crucial that you feel comfortable with your dentist. After all, you can feel pretty vulnerable lying prostrate in an exam chair, bright lights glaring into your gaping mouth. You'll feel much better about the whole experience if you trust the person behind the mask, gloves and dental instruments.
It's well worth an investment in time to be thorough in your search for a dentist that suits your needs and your personality, because ideally, the relationship you develop with your dentist will be a long-term one. Also, when you actively seek out the dentist who best suits your needs, you are taking an active, as opposed to passive, role in your dental health care.
We've come up with some step-by-step guidelines that will help you make the best choice.
Communication - Comfort - Trust
Healthy, open communication and feelings of comfort and trust are vital to all relationships, but are particularly important when it comes to the people you entrust with your health care. Communication should flow freely in both directions; you shouldn't hesitate to ask your dentist to explain something you don't understand, and your dentist shouldn't resent having to explain, or re-explain, any proposed treatment or procedure, in language that you understand. Any anxiety or fear on your part should also be discussed openly, as should your dentist's methods for ensuring your comfort while you are undergoing treatment. And you should feel good about your dentist's judgement, level of skill and expertise.
So how do you find a dentist that suits these requirements, and any others you might have?
First, start by asking for referrals from relatives, friends and co-workers. A dental visit can be an intensely personal experience, so chances are a dentist will only earn a referral if he is skillful and personable.If you are moving to a different city, ask your current dentist if he can recommend a dentist in your new location. Call the local dental society or the state dental board, and ask for names of three or four dentists in your area.Ask for recommendations from your family physician or your local pharmacist.
Once you've got a few names to work with, it's time to do some leg work. Get on the phone and call their offices. Is the staff courteous and helpful? Do they answer questions to your satisfaction? If they pass these tests, ask the following questions:
Is the dentist accepting new patients? How long do I have to wait to get in for my first exam? Does the dentist participate in my dental insurance plan?
Does the dentist have specific training and/or experience related to my condition?How and when is payment expected?Can the dentist accommodate my health and accessibility requirements? Is the dentist an active participant in continuing education programs? How are emergency appointments handled? Is the dentist available in the early mornings, after 5 p.m., or on Saturdays? What type of preventive care and instruction will I receive?
How does the dentist handle sterilization and infection control? Is the dentist progressive, using new techniques and equipment that give you the best dental care available? Is the dentist an advocate for patient education, having an Internet site and patient education materials?
Once you've gotten this information, you should have a pretty good idea whether or not you and the dentist can establish a trusting, communicative relationship.
Your next question should be, "Can I come in for an introductory appointment?" This is your opportunity to meet the staff, check out the office and exam room, and interact with the dentist one-on-one. X-rays and an exam might also be part of this appointment, but even if you don't select that particular office to be your dental health care provider, the X-rays and initial exam records are transferrable.
There should be no committment required from you during this introductory visit, other than the fee for the X-rays and exam. Dental care teams that offer this service tend to have the mindset that they will be partners with you in your dental health. This type of relationship is an essential first step towards becoming an active participant in your own health care.
February 7, 2000
Sources:
The American Dental Association
The Academy of General Dentistry
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| CLINIC CULTURE |
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 Choosing your dentist can be a difficult decision. There are many factors that should help you determine your choice for a long term relationship. The final result is certainly important but the overall experience is what should really improve your smile. This is where we excel!!!!
Our practice provides a comfortable and relaxed atmoshere for even the most fearful patient. We recognize how difficult a dentist visit may be for some patients and we focus on your individual needs with compassion and care. We have worked hard to incorporate, the highest level of professional care in an efficient setting where the patient actually enjoys the visits.
Dental Center VAN is a state of the art dental speciality centre providing services in almost all branches of dentistry, with an objective to achieve excellence in dental care. A well spaced, multi operatory centre, our Center has 120 dentists on its panel. The Clinic is outfitted with the latest in dental equipment and materials to obtain the best in treatment, hygiene and infection control.
All the clinicians at Dental Center VAN always endeavour to deliver the best there is, in dental diagnosis and treatment. We would like to define a dentist, not as a tooth puller but rather as a tooth saver. Dental treatment concepts have been redefined over the last two decades and the same has been established at Dental Center VAN.
A major objective at Center VAN is to treat the patient and not just the symptom. An integrated approach is taken, with each area being handled by the specialist, but in total harmony with interaction between all the clinicians. Our goal is to achieve a permanent natural dentition by eliminating dental disease rather than treating it. Keeping this in mind we lay great emphasis on preventive dental care, so as to minimize future dental disease as much as possible.
The ultimate goal at our clinic is to make available comfortable, painfree, high quality dentistry for all.
"Money is not the reason of my actions, rather it is a consequence of them"
A. Vantsyan |
Source: Your Health Encyclopedia, 4-rd Edition, 2002
Last Revised at December 4, 2007 by Harutyun Medina, M.D.
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