Finding a great dentist for you and your family can have a major impact on your lives.  Not only can they assist you as a trusted advisor in achieving and maintaining oral and dental wellness, but they can also help you get the smile you wish for and deserve, and help save you money in the process of doing so.

Given the impact a great dentist can have on your life, it may be a mistake to simply pick a practitioner out of the phone book or choose one solely based on insurance coverage. The search for the right dentist might take some time and some effort. But the results—better health and progress toward the perfect smile—make it all worthwhile.

Of course, it's possible that you already have a skilled dentist committed to his or her patients and that you are delighted with the quality of care he or she provides. Whether or not you're satisfied with your current dentist, reading this article should raise some interesting questions for you to consider. You may realize that your current dentist is the best choice for you.  Or, you might decide it's time to do some research and find the dentist who's better equipped to help you with your needs.

So, how does one go about finding a great dentist?  What are the things one should look for, and what are the steps to take to insure you have the right one?

Here is what you need to know:

What to Look For in a Great Dentist

We’ll start by pointing out that the conclusion that a dentist is “great” is a subjective one, and that the dentist your family member, friend, or co-worker may think is great might not seem great in your opinion.  It might not be necessarily a question of competence, but perhaps one of style, interpersonal dynamics, and relevance for particular health needs.

However, there are several things to consider when evaluating a dentist and his/her practice, including:

• Concern For the Patient--Good dentists take a personal interest in patients and their health. They are prevention-oriented, and will conduct a thorough dental examination which includes inspection of the teeth, gums, tongue, lips, inside of the cheek, palate, and the skin of the face and neck, plus feeling the neck for abnormal lymph nodes and enlargement of the thyroid gland. In adults a periodontal probe should be inserted between the gums and teeth to detect abnormally large crevices.  
• Capability to Provide a Full Range of Services Within the Practice—The needs of you and your family members will vary over time, but studies have shown that patients are more likely to follow up with treatments when the services are provided within the same dental office.  The convenience and comfort level of having all your procedures done in a familiar surrounding is a benefit that seemingly does have an effect on one’s health.
• Convenience—An important factor to consider is how convenient is it for you to get treatments.  This includes the location of the office to your home or workplace, the hours that the office is open, and the number of visits it takes to get procedures performed.  Many dental offices are increasingly offering more flexibility in scheduling appointments—including evenings and weekends—so that patients can fit the appointments into their hectic schedules.  Regarding the number of appointments needed for a procedure, there is a significant difference in the treatment approach between dentists.  For example, HMO offices may schedule several short visits for a procedures (since the office has to see many patients each day per their contract with the insurance companies) whereas a PPO dentist will schedule a procedure for one visit.  You can read more about the differences between types of dental practices in our recent article here .
• Ability to Plan—A great approach for dental care is to work out a thorough dental treatment plan with your dentist that both identifies current and near-future dental needs, as well as goals and wishes you may have for your smile.  Your dentist should make a thorough treatment plan that you both discuss and agree to, and that plan should be the basic cornerstone of your oral and dental wellness program.
• Flexibility/Ability To Listen To Patient Wishes—The dental treatment plan should allow for flexibility to adapt to the needs and wishes of the patient, and allow the patient to make informed decisions.  The role of a great dentist is to identify the various options, their costs and benefits, and any risks, so that the patient can make the decision that is right for them.  Importantly, sometimes the patient’s insurance plan may dictate what procedures can be performed, so the patient should be informed of this early on.
• Communication Skills—The ability to explain the dental alternatives that provides a patient with the information needed to make the decision that is right for them requires good communication skills.  A great dentist will speak in terms the patient can understand, as well as perhaps use informational aids (such as pictures) to explain dental concepts.  He/she will actively and patiently listen to the questions posed by the patient, and make sure to answer each one ot the satisfaction of the patient.
• Commitment to Excellence by Entire Dental Team—The dental experience of a patient can affect how they pursue managing their health in the future.  The great dentist realizes that every aspect of the patient experience should be as satisfying as possible.  The office should be clean and comfortable, there should be entertainment provided to relax the patient, and each staff member should be committed to the care of the patient.
• Use of Latest Technologies and Procedures—Dental medicine continually advances to offer more options to patients. Safety and cleanliness standards are a must, of course.  But also, new technologies such as digital x-rays, laser surgery, oral cancer screening tests, and other procedures provide advances in safety, comfort, healing speed, and other benefits.  You will want to make sure that your dentist is investing in the latest training and equipment so that their practice can offer these advances to you and your family.  
• Financial Assistance Programs—Importantly, a great dentist will also show their concern for their patients by making every effort to work with the patient to make sure they can get the treatment they need, regardless of personal circumstances.  Great dental practices will often offer programs that provide rewards for referrals, or special events co-sponsored by major manufacturers that provide discounts for expensive procedures.  These programs require extra effort by the dentist, but demonstrate their going the extra step for their patients.
• Added Value Provided—Great dentists seek to provide added value to their patients by ongoing communications to keep them informed of important dental issues that could affect them or their family.  They will provide them with information on dental treatments and help educate them and family members as appropriate.  They also help remind patients of the importance of treatments and help remind them to follow up on treatment plans.

What Steps Should You Take to Find a Great Dentist?

Here is a quick 12 step program to help you find a great dentist.

1. Check with your insurance provider to determine what dental practices are covered by your insurance carrier.  Selecting a dentist outside of your network can cost you.  Read more information about the different types of programs available at our recent article here .
2. Check with family, friends, and co-workers to see if they have any experience with any of the dentists available to you.  
3. Search online for any reviews of the dental practices, and visit the websites of the practices to read about their staff and philosophy.
4. Schedule a "get acquainted" visit with two or three of the dentists from the group available to you.
5. During your introductory appointment, take a look around the office. Is it neat and clean? Do the patients appear happy? Are there adequate distractions to help you to relax - like magazines, music, DVD movies, etc?
6. In your introductory appointment, how are you treated by the staff?  Are they friendly and considerate of your time and needs?  Do they treat you with courtesy and friendliness? Has the practice established a “commitment to excellence” in how each staff member treats you?
7. During your initial consultation with the dentist, ask some of the following questions:
   
   • Does the dentist ask for a complete medical history? Does the dentist check thoroughly for gum disease, decay, and correct bite? Does the dentist take the proper number of x-rays for your individual case? Does the dentist do an oral cancer screening?
   • What dental services does the dentist offer that may meet special needs in the future?  Can the office provide cosmetic dentistry, sedation dentistry, dental implants, help with headaches, teeth straightening, or laser dentistry.  Can they treat all members of the family?  While you may not need all of these services, it is helpful to know how broad the dentist's training is to meet special needs that may arise in the future.
   • Does the dentist create a thorough treatment plan as the basis for a comprehensive future dental care program?
   • Does the dentist consider you a partner in your treatment planning? Rather than just telling you what to do, he or she should explain the results of the exam and work with you to develop a total treatment plan based on the big picture of your oral health and wellness. The dentist should make recommendations based on your needs not just on insurance availability. Remember, you want a dentist who can offer enough information in language you can understand so you can help to make an informed decision.
   • Does the dentist maintain a DMF (Decayed, Missing, and Filled) record?  The DMF record is a charting system that tells all of the work that has been done on your teeth and what work needs to be done. You should be allowed to see your probing chart, your x-rays and your DMF record.
   • Does the dentist comply with OSHA and American Dental Association guidelines for infection control?
   • What investments has the practice made in new technologies? Inquire about the use of dental lasers and digital x-rays as an alternative to traditional dental tools such as tooth drilling and scalpels
   • What continuing education has the dentist had during this past year? Ask about the types of professional dental societies the dentist participates in. Some societies require dentists to take continuing education classes to keep them up-to-date on the latest procedures and technological advances in the field.
   • Ask about the extent of the dentist's training and clinical experience in performing the specific procedure you may require. For example, not all dentists are trained in specific cosmetic dentistry procedures.
   • How long the practice has been in operation?
   • Ask about the type of emergency care offered. For example, is the dentist available after hours and on weekends?
   • Inquire about patient comforts, such as pre-medication or nitrous oxide, and amenities such as music or heating pads.
8. Review how the practice assists you in developing financial plans to get the treatment you deserve. Do they identify total dental costs including procedure fees, anesthesia fees, and facility fees?  Do they help you submit insurance claims? Can they provide advice and assistance in obtaining financing?  Do they have special programs (like referral programs and discounts specials with major manufacturers) that can allow you to stretch your dental budget?
9. Before receiving any treatment, ask for references, and check with the references.  Some questions to ask include:
   
   • How did you learn about the dentist?
   • How long have you been treated by the dentist?
   • Why did you change from your previous dentist?
   • Was insurance coverage a main consideration in choosing the dentist?
   • How long does it take to get an appointment with the dentist?
   • How helpful are the hygienist and other office personnel?
   • What is the dentist's best quality as a dentist?
   • What, if anything, about the dentist's practice annoys you?
10. Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion on any major dental procedures.  A great dentist will be confident enough to support your request for records to get a second opinion.
11. Once you have received a treatment, mentally review how well it went.  Things to consider include:
    
    • How comfortable were you during treatment?
    • Did the dentist take time to polish your fillings?
    • Was any debris left in your mouth after treatment?
    • Is any of the dental work irritating your gum?
    • How does your bite feel?
    • Does the treated tooth look like a tooth?
    • Does dental floss or your tongue catch on the tooth?
    • Do you feel pain when drinking hot or cold liquids?
    • Was any expected pain managed appropriately after treatment with use of medications or suggested techniques?
12. Monitor how the dentist keeps in touch with you after and between visits, including the value of information the practice sends you to keep you informed of information that can improve your ability to manage your oral and dental wellness.

The above will provide a good framework for helping you find your “great” dentist.  Even though the assessment will be subjective based on your own needs and likes/dislikes, it will allow you to understand what the best can look like, and hopefully help you get more out of your relationship with your dentist.

Here’s hoping that you find a great trusted advisor to help you and your family achieve oral and dental wellness!

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