35.5 million Americans move each year. And if you’re one of them, you’re likely looking for a new dentist in your area.
Or, perhaps you’ve lived in your location for a while and you’re simply looking for a dentist.
Either way, this article will help you narrow down on a few ways to find a dentist near you. Hold off on Googling, “find a dentist near me” for a few minutes and read the rest of our article for some solid tips on finding a great dentist in your area.
1. Will Your Dentist Accept Your Insurance? If Not, Will They Work on a Sliding Scale or With a Payment Plan?
Does your dentist accept your insurance?
That’s probably the first question you’ll need to ask before booking an appointment. As you know by now, not all dentists are on every insurance plan, so it is important you find one that’s on yours. You don’t want to book an appointment with a dentist, get work done, and then get a $500 bill you can’t pay because you assumed you would be covered.
You’ll want to narrow down your dentists to the ones who will accept your insurance.
If you don’t have insurance, you should look for a dentist that will either work on a sliding scale or work with you to pay your bill. Some dentists will offer payment plans to patients who can’t pay their full bill upfront. This might be a helpful way to get dental work done, even if the price is daunting.
2. Does Your Dentist Work with Children?
If you have kids, you know this is extremely important.
Not all dentists are good with kids, and sometimes, going to a dentist that is only used to seeing adults can be daunting for children. They may not know how to speak to them, or how to work with them so that they’re not as fearful. And, they may not have fun things like games to distract them or other novelties like a variety of toothpaste flavors.
Some dentists are pediatric dentist and only work with children, and these types may be your best bet for your little ones.
But for convenience sake, some dentists may be able to see the whole family and are used to seeing both children and adults. This can be helpful for both you and your child, as you can have them watch you get your teeth cleaned before their turn so they can see that it’s not a big deal at all.
3. What Type of Dental Work Do You Need to Be Done?
This is incredibly important, as you can’t go to an orthodontist to get your regular cleanings. There are many different types of dentists, and they specialize in many different areas. You can work with a dentist who specializes in cosmetic dentistry, who specializes in more complex procedures, or one that does regular check-ups and X-rays.
Often, choosing your regular dentist is your first step in this chain, as they can usually either do the work themselves, or refer you to someone they trust. That can often be a good way to know where to get quality dental care that your primary dentist cannot provide.
You’ll need to be acutely aware of your needs before selecting a dentist, as otherwise, you’ll be quite disappointed.
4. What Do Other People Say About Them?
Remember: online reviews are not the only thing that should sway you one way or another. Online reviews can be misleading, and often people will only post reviews if they’ve had a negative encounter. Everyone has bad days, and everyone has different expectations. What someone regards as bad quality care may not be what you’d regard as subpar. <p<However, if the online reviews are overwhelmingly negative, it’s probably a good idea to steer clear of the dentist in mind and search for someone else.
Recommendations from trusted friends and family members are also a great way to find a good dentist. If many members of your social network think a certain dentist does a great job, it’s definitely worth giving them a shot. That means that people who have opinions you trust also trust this dentist, which can mean more than any other online review.
5. Does the Dentist Offer Emergency Care or Have an Out of Hours Plan?
Although dental emergencies are not as common as other emergencies, they do occur. And if you’ve recently had dental surgery, you may want to know you can contact your dentist after the surgery after hours.
Your dentist should have an out of hours procedure so that you know what to do during a dental emergency. This may include you coming into their office, or going to another dentist that they work with who does 24 hour-a-day dentistry.
No matter what their plan is, it is important that they have one.
Finding a Great “Dentist Near Me”
As you can see, typing in “dentist near me” and hoping for the best isn’t always the best plan. There are a variety of things you should try before you plan to make an appointment with a dentist you don’t know for the first time.
Finding a dentist can be daunting, but there are many ways to narrow them down to a few candidates quite quickly, you just need to know how to do so.
If you’re in the Denver area and are looking for a fantastic dentist in Lone Tree, contact us to schedule an appointment.