In the past few weeks, we have discussed the traits of a great smile as well as the goal that everyone should have regarding oral and dental wellness.  This week, we will begin a series of articles detailing how one can both get a great smile and also achieve oral and dental wellness.

The two most important steps for achieving both are: 1) finding the right dentist to work with; and 2) developing a plan.

Here is what you need to know:

Finding the Right Dentist

In our article entitled "How to Pick a GREAT Dentist!" (see here ), we discussed both what to look for in a great dentist as well as the steps to take in finding the right dentist.  To briefly summarize, you want someone who is as concerned with your overall oral and dental wellness as he/she is with the appearance of your smile.  The practice should utilize the latest advances and technologies and be able to offer a full range of services, but never forget to treat the patient with care and concern.  And finally, the dentist should take the role of a long-term trusted advisor who will LISTEN to you, and also communicate effectively to provide you information and assistance to manage your oral and dental wellness.  

The importance of finding the right partner to help you get a great smile and also manage your oral and dental wellness cannot be understated.  Often, creating the right habits to take care of yourself can be tedious, and bad habits can be formed.  You want someone who will help keep you on track with regular check-ups, encouragement, and information so as to guide you to success.  Also, there are many options available to help you achieve your goals.  You need someone who can help you make the decisions that are right for you.

Developing a Plan

Perhaps most importantly, the dentist should be concerned with helping you plan the short- and long-term goals for your smile and your oral and dental wellness.  This plan starts with the development of a detailed "treatment plan" that identifies the current issues with your smile and health, and also identifies what improvements you may wish for.  

Once an initial assessment is done, the dentist should be able to provide options as to the various approaches the patient can take to both manage their oral and dental health as well as for improvements in the smile.  The options should be explained with detail as to the benefits and costs, and the dentist should be able to answer any and all questions that the patient may have.  When the plan is finished, you have a customized "treatment plan."

Once the treatment plan is complete, you will have a road-map for achieving your goals.  The road-map will provide a step by step approach as to the various steps, their costs, and the time-frames for doing various procedures.  Your dentist will then serve as the co-pilot on your journey--reminding you of appointments for checkpoints and/or procedures, working to assist on managing your dental budget, providing support for processing insurance claims, and performing the various procedures at your convenience to help you reach your goal.

Summary

The benefits of finding the right dentist to partner with, and developing a detailed road-map to define and reach your objectives include: 1) making better informed decisions as to what is possible to achieve and how to achieve it; 2) better utilization of your insurance plans so as to minimize your costs and stretch your dental budget; and 3) long-term support and guidance to help you achieve and maintain your dental goals.

Here's hoping you find the right dentist and get a plan to help you achieve your goals!

Have any suggestions for what you'd like to see us write about?  Place your comments and suggestions in the comments section.