When you’re looking for a new dentist, you’re hopefully searching for more than someone to just clean your teeth.

Your dental health is a vital part of your overall health and wellbeing and your dentist plays an integral role in helping you to achieve this.

Choosing the right dentist can be daunting, and unfortunately many people just avoid the process altogether until they have a dental emergency.

Essentially, the majority of people want their experience to be as enjoyable as a trip to the dentist can be. That’s why it is important to find the most suitable long term oral health partner you can.

Here’s How to Choose the Right Dentist and Get the Best Dental Fit for You and Your Family

What to consider when choosing the right dentist for you:

1. Start with convenience

Regular visits are key to a healthy smile, so start with the details that work best with your lifestyle and dental care needs.

Some things to consider include:

• Is the dentist office easy to get to from your home or job?
• Does the dentist have convenient open hours?

2. Up-to-date technology

Over the last 25 years, dentistry has seen an explosion of digital technologies that dramatically improve quality of care. This is especially significant for dental x-rays, which are crucial to detecting major oral health issues.

For example, does the dental practice have an OPG and are they using the latest technology?

3. Ongoing education and training

In the past, the skills needed by dentists and other dental professionals remained mostly unchanged.

Over the past ten years however, advances in clinical and administrative technology means that dentists and their staff need to regularly update their skills. To not only meet the needs and expectations of the industry and their patients, but to maintain their professional standing and qualifications.

4. A friendly and responsive team

A visit to the dentist is not high on most people’s list of favourite things to do. While you can’t necessarily determine the treatment you’ll need in advance.

You can determine the quality of the experience by choosing a dental practice offering an easy appointment process, pleasant interaction and a streamlined billing process.

5. A clean, equipped and modern environment

Many people believe restaurant bathrooms are good indicators of kitchen cleanliness. The same might be said for the dentist’s office.

If the surroundings are clean and modern, and the environment is inviting, the same can be said for the equipment hygiene and care provided.

6. Genuinely interested in your patient experience

As the dental landscape evolves, many dental practices are being taken over by corporate groups and controlled by health fund providers.

Independent dentists however are free from external influences and can ensure you as a patient receive the most appropriate treatment options and ongoing care for you and your family’s dental health.

Find out more about the benefits of choosing an independent dentist here

Doing Your Own Research to Choose the Right Dentist

When choosing the right dentist for you it is important to consider their qualifications and credentials. This will help you to determine whether the dentist has the necessary skills, experience and training to provide reliable oral healthcare.

Also, if you can, make sure you confirm that the dentist has no history of disciplinary actions or malpractice claims.

Ask your friends for recommendations

There is nothing more trusted than word of mouth referrals.

Ask family, friends, neighbours or colleagues what they like about their dentist and where they go for dental care, or ask your doctor for a referral.

You may not look forward to going to the dentist, but there are ways to ensure you are getting the most from this important healthcare treatment.

It is not an easy decision to choose the right dentist for you and your family. So, take the time to research and make the right choice.