Do you need to go to the dentist, do you want to choose the best dental clinic in your city? There are hundreds, thousands, countless options available when it comes to dentists out there, so how do you make the right choice among so much variety?
The smile is something very important for everyone, not only because of its aesthetic and social repercussion, but also because it is usually a reflection of our oral health, which is why choosing a professional capable of providing us with the best attention and care is something of immeasurable importance.
How to choose the best dentist?
While the criteria for defining what is ‘good or bad’ vary according to the particular experience of the patient, their needs, whether expectations were met or not, and a long list of details, there are some basic parameters to evaluate when choosing a dentist to be your trusted professional, here we tell you some of them
1. Location and hours
Before going into details about the professional’s experience or effectiveness, we must start with the basics.
Make sure you can get to the place, choose a dentist who works in the town where we live makes access much easier, avoiding having to travel long distances by car or bus to get to the appointment, also in case of an “emergency” to go quickly.
Many people, looking for “the best” opt for professionals who work in areas far away from them, and this is exhausting in the long run, because of the round trip to and from the office, and it can also happen that one day you attend and for some reason your dentist has not been able to go, so you lose the long trip you made.
2. Schedule
Just like the location, the work schedule is also important, especially if you are a person who studies, works or both, anyone who knows what it is to have a concrete routine knows that you must plan every errand you are going to do, and this applies to dental visits as well.
You should make sure that their office hours allow you to go when your time is available, taking into consideration that once you arrive you may have to wait in line while they see other patients who arrived earlier.
3. Ask for References
you can ask your relatives, friends, acquaintances, school or work colleagues about a dentist they know, who has treated them and about whom they have good references.
The patients’ experience is a very valuable piece of information, since beyond the professional aspect, they will give you a testimony from the point of view of the person most affected, “the patient”.
We all went or will go to the dentist at some point, which is why I’m sure your contacts already know several of them and can tell you about their experience with each one.
By doing it this way you avoid having to go through a fiasco or two, and you can rest assured that you are putting yourself in the hands of a person with a clean professional record and proven results.
Also remember that despite the comments of others, you cannot always judge the professional in question, because no matter how efficient he or she is, there will always be a couple of people who have something bad to say about him or her.
4. Professional facilities
All health centers, of any type, including dental centers, must comply with minimum quality requirements in terms of facilities, equipment, personnel and others.
It is not always necessary to look for a place with state-of-the-art technology where when you enter it seems that you are entering a secret laboratory, but you should be demanding in terms of infrastructure conditions, cleanliness, and details in general.
It is a health center and therefore it should be “healthy”; important procedures will be performed there, where there is always a risk of contamination, and this must be reduced to a minimum.
Carefully observe the place, as well as its credentials, fire department permits, and all those things that ensure it is in optimal condition to provide the care that you, as a patient, deserve.
5. Attention
Having already had the doctor’s references, as mentioned in point 2, now it is your turn to experience it first hand, to be the one to evaluate the dentist and his or her way of treating patients.
There are cases in which he/she can be very professional, very competent, but simply does not make you feel comfortable and this, although it may not seem relevant to some people, for others it is, and very much so.
Whenever we are in the hands of a healthcare professional we need to feel comfortable, in total trust, since we are allowing them to approach us in ways that other people normally do not, and that, being part of the healthcare team, they will have access to personal information, which may be sensitive.
The auxiliary staff also plays a role here; even the person working at the reception desk who handles our registration is important. The assistants, labor staff, and everyone in general working at the site should be capable of treating the public well, even though, ultimately, the dentist is the one who does the hard work.
6. Competence and continuous training
Every health profession requires a solid theoretical and practical training, and dentistry is no exception to this rule. People usually ask from which faculty the professional graduated, if he/she has complementary studies that allow him/her to work in specialized areas or if he/she regularly attends updating congresses.
In dentistry there are also specialties and although in many places any dentist is allowed to practice any procedure in their area in which they feel competent, it is important to make sure that they also have complementary studies that guarantee their skill in it.
Remember that all dental clinics must have the professional license of the dentists visible.
7. Medical record management
The record of your data and your evolution as a patient should always be kept in writing or digitally, since it may be that at some point for various reasons you must change your dentist and start with a new one, it is your right as a patient to have access to this information to give it to your new dentist so he/she can continue with your treatment.
8. Cost of care
Lastly, but in fact one of the most important points for patients, the cost of services, no matter how good the dentist or his office facilities are, if you can’t afford it, then it simply won’t work for you.
Make sure you are fully informed from the outset about the total cost of your treatment and what the payment arrangements are, or whether your health insurance may cover it. Especially in the case of orthodontic or other long-term treatments, where fees may be subject to change.
Be careful when choosing your trusted dentist, evaluate all the points discussed here and you will surely find the right one. Your smile is an important part of you, take great care of it and always seek help from the most skilled hands for it.
Agenta tu primera cita con el dentista en Mexicali, México.
This post is purely informational and does not replace a consultation with the dentist in any way. Contact the smile agents team to schedule an appointment with one of the dentists at Smilers Dental Clinic.
