Spokane Dentist

Maintaining good oral health isn’t as simple as brushing and flossing at home. In order to keep your smile looking beautiful, regular visits to your dentist are crucial. The challenge comes when it’s time to find a new dentist. Whether you just moved to the Spokane area, your dentist retired, or you’re just looking for a dentist that’s the right fit, it can be hard to find the right dental office.

Many people have aversions to the dentist for several reasons, so it’s especially important to look around and find someone that you feel comfortable with. You don’t want to miss out on maintaining good oral health. If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at these helpful tips for when you’re on the lookout for a new dentist.

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Your requirements, that is. If you are looking to just stay up to date on your dental checkups, your list may not be very long. If you are in the market for specialized care, on the other hand, there is more to think about. Those who practice general dentistry can handle most procedures, such as cleanings, fillings, and extractions, but you may need to see a specialist if you require more complicated care.

If your family includes children who need care as well, be sure to choose a practice that can care for everyone. This allows you to stick with the same dentist without needing to switch at some point. If that isn’t an option in your town, you may need to find a pediatric dentist in addition to the dentist that cares for the adults in the family.

Qualifications

Of course, you want to ensure that your dentist has gone to school and is licensed. Dental school provides the necessary knowledge and training that a dentist needs, but that is just the minimum of what credentials a dentist can receive. You should look for a dentist that is board certified or a member of one of the esteemed dental organizations, such as WSDA or ADA.

Experience

When it comes to the care of your pearly whites, you don’t want just anyone poking around in your mouth. Your oral health is important to you, and it’s important that your dentist sees it as a priority, too. The stress of visiting the dentist can be enough for many folks to skip it altogether, but the right dentist will ease your fears and make you feel comfortable. A professional that has been in the industry for a while and has experience with different patients is often a great choice.

Accessibility

One of the most important things to look at when searching for a dentist is how easily you’ll be able to be seen when needed. It’s always a good choice to find a provider that is close to your home and has hours that work with your family’s schedule. Sure, you can schedule appointments ahead of time and make sure you can fit the time into your schedule, but problems do arise and you don’t want to have to wait too long to be seen.

Scheduling

Investigate the working hours, holiday hours, and potential emergency hours or processes for a potential dental practice. Their schedule should allow you time to keep your appointments without disproportionately impacting your work or school schedule.

It seems obvious, but try to choose a practice that is only a few miles or less from home, this makes appointments and emergencies much easier to manage. This makes it less likely that you’ll “find excuses” to miss the occasional appointment because of travel issues or time constraints.

Services

Keep your dental needs in mind when you’re evaluating your top options for a provider. If you have a family, make sure that you’re looking at family dentists that have a versatile range of common services for both kids and adults.

This is also the time to do any investigation on behalf of special needs family members. If someone needs special accommodations, speak with the practice about it, and understand beforehand how it will be handled. Most practices are located in ground floor offices, but some are not, so those who need to avoid stairs should keep things like this in mind as well.

Payment Options

Make sure that before you decide on a dentist you think about and discuss the payment options and expenses. Once you have a few potential providers, talk with your insurance provider to make sure that your expectations of expenses for common needs are in line with what they will be covering.

This is also the time to look at the payment and insurance claim process at your potential dentist. Many practices will submit the claim on your behalf and do a lot of the legwork of minimizing your potential expenses, but you cannot count on it everywhere. Take the time to investigate.

Referrals and Reviews

When you’re looking for a dentist, one of the best things to do is search their name and practice online so you can read reviews from current and former patients of theirs. Google reviews, Yelp, and even Facebook can be valuable tools. You may have thought you found the perfect dentist that is close to home, has great hours, and takes your insurance, but if enough former patients had poor experiences, they likely won’t be the right fit for you.

Narrow Down Your List

After you compile your list of potential dentists for your family, it is time to narrow down your list so you can choose a provider. Make sure you read reviews and ask other people if they’ve heard anything about the practice. Once you are ready to decide on your dentist, you can call and schedule a consultation to meet them. Hearing from other people can only get you so far, but meeting dentists in person, checking out the building they’re in, and asking some questions will allow you to choose a great Spokane dentist.