6 Questions to Ask When Considering a New Dentist

Recently, a patient told me that she is moving to Denver and will need to find a new dentist in Lakewood. At North Jacksonville Complete Dentistry, we hate to see any patient leave our practice, but we understand that she wants to find a trustworthy dental office closer to home. For this particular patient, I was able to recommend a specific practice: Lakewood Complete Dentistry. But her situation got me thinking about what I would look for in a new dentist if I were in her shoes. Are you in a similar scenario? I’ve come up with six questions you can ask when determining which dentist to choose as you move!

Does the practice offer all dental services?

When you pick a dental office to call home and try to get settled, the last thing you want to do is be referred to another office for a specific procedure. Instead, you should find a dentist who is skilled and trained in most aspects of dentistry and can tailor their services to meet your unique needs. Take the time to make sure that the dentist can handle basically any procedure in-house in order to avoid unnecessary visits to a specialist’s office.

Can the practice help in a dental emergency?

One of the benefits of having a reliable dentist nearby is knowing that you can get help at a moment’s notice. For example, if this patient who is moving experiences a bad toothache or a chipped tooth, she would want to be able to see an emergency dentist in Lakewood as soon as possible to fix the problem. Make sure that the dentist you choose is able to take emergency patients so that you aren’t waiting in pain for long stretches of time.

Does the practice treat the entire family?

Just as you don’t want to waste travelling all over town to get all the dental services you need, you shouldn’t have to visit separate dental offices to care for each member of your family. Find a friendly, skilled dentist who can treat everyone—children, teens, and adults alike—and who can serve as your family’s go-to dental resource. As an added bonus, you may be able to schedule your family’s dental appointments close together, saving you time!

Does the practice accept dental insurance?

If your benefits package at work includes dental insurance, you should definitely try to get the most value out of it. Before you schedule an appointment with any practice, check to see if they are in-network with your insurance plan. However, whether they take insurance or not, the important thing is that your chosen practice is willing to work with you and make your oral healthcare simple and affordable.

Is the practice active in the community?

A practice that has been in business for a long time is more likely to be involved in the local community and with local schools. Essentially, that team has become an integral part of the area. As a result, those who work at that practice are more likely to be able to give you recommendations for other resources that you and your family will need as you transition to the area, such as a family physician, optometrist, pediatrician, and more.

Does the practice have excellent reviews?

Especially when you move to a new area, getting recommendations from someone you trust can be challenging to say the least. However, you can turn to the next best thing—online reviews. Take a few minutes to check out the practice’s reviews to get an idea of what their patients think. Using this resource, you can feel more confident visiting that particular dentist.

Regardless of where you’re moving, we hope that you’re able to find another practice with the same dedication to quality service that we provide here at North Jacksonville Complete Dentistry. If you use these questions to help guide your search, you’re sure to find a dentist that is a good match for you!

About the Author

At North Jacksonville Complete Dentistry, we have two highly trained and experienced dentists, Dr. Ryan Johnson and Dr. William Baxter. For patients of all ages, they offer a wide range of services, including cosmetic procedures, emergency care, routine preventive services, and complex dental implants. We are happy to accept most PPO dental insurance plans and work with patients with flexible financing. To schedule an appointment with us, give us a call or click here.