Whether you are moving home, are new to the area, haven’t been to the dentist in a long time or are dissatisfied with your current practice, finding a new dentist who is the right fit is extremely important.
Here we give you some tips, guidance and advice on how to choose the right dentist to suit your needs and provide you with the best possible Essex dental care.
Personal Recommendations
Asking friends, family and colleagues if they are happy with their dental practice is often a good start as you will get honest, trusted opinions. Of course, these are subjective and one person’s experience may not be the same as another’s but it is always worth asking, especially if they have undergone any advanced or cosmetic dentistry treatments.
Location
Although you may only need to see your dentist once every 6 months or so, location can play an important part, especially if you rely on public transport or maybe have a full-time job and would ideally need to be able to visit before, after or during work. Look at where the practice is located and check – how far is it from your home? Is there parking? How long would it take you to get there?
Online Presence and Reviews
You can often tell a lot about a dental practice by the amount of effort they put into their website and social media pages. Do they post often? Is it up to date? Do they get a lot of engagement from real patients? Does their website have adequate information such as details on treatments, prices, staff and photographs? Be sure to also check for reviews on their Facebook and Google business listing to help you get an accurate idea of how they fair.
Technology and Treatments
It might be that you are just looking for a dentist to see for regular check-ups but it could also be that you are considering treatments in the future such as orthodontics, implants, veneers or composite bonding. Take a look at the treatments they offer to see if they are able to meet your requirements before you register.
Dental technology is more advanced than ever and dental practices need to invest and evolve to provide the very best care for their patients. Ask or look online to see what they offer in regards to their imaging and scanning equipment and how they use it to benefit their patients.
Qualifications, Training, Credentials and Experience
When it comes to dentists, licence certificates are very important and confirm that they have the necessary skills, training and experience required to be able to effectively treat patients. Those with additional training and qualification in specialties such as orthodontics or periodontics are preferable if you are looking into having a corresponding treatment with them.
Atmosphere
This may seem a little extreme but for nervous patients in particular, feeling confident in the surroundings is going to make a big difference to your visits. Try to see the practice in person and get a sense for how it feels, the overall ambience and atmosphere. Are the reception staff friendly, helpful and welcoming with you and other patients both in person and on the phone? Maybe even mention that you are a nervous patient and ask what can be done to accommodate you and make your visits more comfortable for you.
