Whether you’ve just moved to a new area or has been ignoring oral health from a professional point of view, it is time to find a good dentist. Obviously it does not take a genius to look in the phone book and find out where the next job is. But the phone book tells you nothing about what you will actually find this address. At a time where the country companies are providing subpar dental and shady dealings with patients who did not know better, it pays to be careful when choosing office. Here’s a good way to find dental experts who cares.
Staff Recommendations
If you have a job, start with your co-workers. Ask them if they have a dentist they recommend. If you feel embarrassed about not having one of your own, mention that you are asking about a friend or tell them that you have decided to leave the current guy. They probably will not ask too many questions. Personal recommendations can go a long way, considering the advertising and Internet research. People are willing to dish the dirt, too, so you will find out who to avoid like one to look into.
Independent Research
While nothing beats a personal recommendation when it comes to finding a dentist, not everyone has access to friends who can give them guidance. This is especially true if you are new to the area. In this case, use the Internet for what it is. Run a search in your city and see what comes up. Look for reviews, message boards, Facebook posts, whatever you can get your hands on. Every dental office appreciable size website in this day and age. You can look at these websites for more information. Do not expect unbiased stories, but facts, such as the time, training and service, it will do well.
Take risks
If you are just looking for a regular dentist (and not a separate procedure), you can afford to take risks. One tooth cleaning / testing is not going to hurt you, even if you happen to take the worst guy in town. No friend or Internet user is going to be able to tell you exactly what you want to know. You can only make a final decision by talking to a dental professional first hand, to get a feel for the atmosphere and see for yourself how the staff treat their patients. If you are not satisfied with what you see, you can always go somewhere else next time.