I told my dentist (who by the way works in the same practice that my father brought me to when I was a child) the prevailing conundrum and he was more than ready to help with the exercise of finding a perfect match for a dental care provider.
The first step once you decide to change your dentist, or do not already have one is to ask around. Good things always have a good name preceding them. Therefore, ask your new neighbors, your colleges and even your current dentist about where they have their work done. The best resource is in a dentist’s waiting room as you will find other patients in the same boat as yours. They are probably from different areas of the country and you are likely to get great contacts from them.
Check that your new dentist is a member of his/her state’s dental board and a member of the American Dental Association (A.D.A.). This can be done by visiting those bodies’ websites. Also at those sites you may find very helpful contacts of members in the area you need to relocate to. Some of the state-boards even place their member’s history on their sites (i.e. you can know which dental school they went to, extra certifications, etc).
For those with extra special dental needs (I should know, I had dental gingivitis) contact your state’s department of public health. Tel them your dental needs and your financial capacities. They should also provide you with a list of all qualified and licensed dental practitioners in your state. When I did this, they sent me a register with all those who matched my needs highlighted. Thank you Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Remember, a qualified dentist will always maintain the highest ethical standards. They should display their certificates and degrees. They should always keep a permanent file on you. They should also give dental instruction as part of preventative care. Their offices should always be neat and clean and finally a dentist should always give an alternative care provider for out of office hours emergencies. A professional dentist should always give you adequate warning on fees on procedures. He should also give caution whenever an item is covered or not covered on your dental benefits program.
Good dentists, should always warn you ahead of time for ‘off the policy’ charges that they anticipate. They should also give preventative-care instruction every time you make a call. The bad ones do not as they want to get a killing off your next symptom even though they had seen it from miles away. As you go through the process of searching for dentists, you will find it helpful that there is no difference in a DDS and a DMD. They are both equally qualified and the difference is only a matter of where they qualified at.
Walter Madasen is a DC area expert and is working to help you find a great dentist. Find out more about Best DC Dentist at his website about DC Area Dentists.
