How to choose your dentist
It’s a given that the right dentist can make a big difference to your oral and general health as well as the beauty of your smile. It can even make the difference between whether you manage to keep your own teeth well into old age. Selecting the right dentist in downtown Vancouver for you is therefore a very important choice.
Your teeth, gums and the entire mouth play a vital role in your general health. You don’t want to ignore your teeth and have to do a last-minute scan of dental services advertisements or try for a bargain when your tooth is driving you crazy or an abscess swells in your gums. It is far better to have a regular dentist and receive regular care.
Making your choice aka choosing a trusted dentist:
1. Ask friends, family and colleagues
(or your neighbours if you are in a new area) who their dentist is and whether they are satisfied with the service they are getting.
2. Make a short-list:
Research or consult a few of those dentists recommended. Looking for factors like registration with national dental bodies; level of qualification and current achievements that show commitment to keeping abreast of state-of-the-art dentistry. Determine how much of the dental work is done in-house, and in that chair. Too much outsourcing can push up costs and if something goes wrong, it can be difficult to determine where it went wrong.
3. The practice itself:
Location may provide a problem regarding transport or parking. Practice policies might also. Find out about emergency treatment in terms of hours and availability – our teeth show no respect for time cards and office hours. Also, if the dentist’s client list is so long that waiting to be attended is likely to occupy hours you don’t have, or staff in the reception area are not warm and welcoming, you might want to move on to the next name on your short list.
4. Be comfortable:
Anyone who helps you care for your teeth is really up close and personal while doing so. Choosing a trusted dentist in Vancouver becomes a personal choice too. On the one hand, you want to be sure you will be comfortable with that person literally being in your face.
On the other, you also want to feel that your dentist doesn’t just view you as a set of teeth and gums. There’s nothing more off-putting than lying on your back with your mouth open and having your dentist talk incessantly to the assistant while poking around in your mouth – or asking you incessant questions you can’t possibly answer.
You also want to feel free to ask your dentist about processes and treatments, alternatives and choices – your teeth and gums are important to you.
- Think long-term: Choose a dentist who can take care of your teeth in the long term so that the dentist becomes well aware of your dental history and is aware of any future problems that might arise.
- Costs: Find out if your insurance plan is accepted and how their charges relate to that plan’s rates as well as rates at other dental practices. Also ask whether the dentist can provide the necessary items to avoid your having to pay in the excess – like specialist referrals if your plan requires them.
