Are you due for one of your twice-yearly dental exams?
Finding family dental care near you makes your life easier. The office is nearby when you have a dental emergency, and everyone can visit the same office.
You likely drive by many dental offices in your neighborhood. But how do you know which one is the best option?
Check out these five tips for choosing a family dentist.
1. Ask for Suggestions
If you’re looking for a local dentist, ask other people who live and work in your neighborhood. There’s a good chance some of them see dentists nearby and have an opinion to share about them.
Take note of the dentists that come up frequently in the recommendations, especially if the people doing the recommending are excited to share and have good things to say. Most people will share their opinion about the provider as soon as you ask for a recommendation.
Pay attention to the negative reactions, too. If someone has had a negative experience with a local dentist, you may want to avoid that office.
Once you have your list of recommendations, do your own research to find one that fits your family’s needs.
2. Check on Insurance
It’s frustrating to let insurance dictate your choices, but your bank account will thank you if you stick to a dentist that’s covered under your dental insurance plan.
Most dentists include a list of insurance companies they work with on their websites. Some offices are more flexible and work with a wide range of companies. Others only accept a few types of dental insurance.
You can also check with your insurance company to verify if a specific dentist is a provider on your plan.
3. Explore the Services
Review the dental services available from specific providers to make sure they offer what you need. A dentist who provides a range of services for the entire family simplifies your life.
Looking at the services list can also give you clues about the philosophy of the dentist. Do the services lean toward invasive procedures, or does the office believe in conservative, minimally invasive procedures? Do they stay current with modern techniques?
This is also the time to consider special needs for anyone in your family.
If your child has a fear of dentists, look for a practice that emphasizes making patients feel comfortable. If a family member has a special dental condition, make sure the dentists you’re considering have experience with it. A family member with developmental disabilities might need a dentist who has experience and patience.
4. Review the Reviews
Search for potential dentists on review sites to look at ratings. If a dentist has hundreds of ratings with almost perfect results, that’s a good sign.
Check out written reviews to see what people like and dislike about each dentist. Don’t let a few negative reviews scare you. It’s common for a few disgruntled or overly picky people to write negative reviews about any business.
If you notice lots of people voicing the same complaint, that’s when you might want to take it as a red flag.
5. Visit the Office
One of the best ways to decide if a practice is right for you is to visit. You can see how clean the office is and how friendly the staff is as soon as you walk in.
Visiting also gives you a chance to meet the hygienists and dentists. You can see how knowledgeable they are and how willing they are to talk to you and make you feel comfortable.
Finding Family Dental Care
When checking for family dental care options in your neighborhood, don’t just choose the first office you see. Do the research and check out the office to make sure the practice is a good fit for your family.
Are you ready for a new dentist in Bryn Mawr? Contact us to schedule an appointment and see if Dillon Family Dentistry is right for you.
