So, you’re flipping through your community’s city lifestyle magazine. Whether you’re reading it from your desktop, phone or laptop, you skim through the whole thing, taking note of all of the new and exciting neighborhood businesses that are advertised in it. Wait ... is that just me?
After going back to read an article that caught your eye, you come across an ad from a local dentist. There’s nothing special about the ad other than it’s within driving distance to where you live. In fact, you continue to drive past this dental practice every day on your way to work telling yourself that one day you’re going to call or stop by to inquire about a cleaning.
It’s been months now and you’ve yet to make contact with the dental office. But don’t fret; it’s common for people to fall into a vicious cycle of waiting until the last minute to seek dental care. Some people do this because of previous experience involving pain. Others put off dental care because of dental insurance and or price.
Whatever the case may be, here are a few things to look for when choosing your local dentist:
• Know your dental health benefits. Most people will choose their dentist based on their dental insurance, if available. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting excited about a dental procedure to find out that it’s not covered by your employer. So, know your benefits.
• Accessibility. Are you willing to travel far and beyond for a dental cleaning? Some people are willing to travel to find a good dentist or orthodontics that they're comfortable with. Depending on your dental needs, you may consider traveling 45 minutes to an hour to see your favorite dentist.
• Dental needs. Not all dentists are created equally. Some specialize in certain areas of dentistry but also conduct general dentistry procedures. For example, Dr. Brian Linton and Dr. Ed Davis of Linton Dental specialize in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), an often-difficult disorder to determine. Not all dental practices treat this kind of disorder; it falls under restorative dentistry. Many people will fall under the general dentistry category. This is for your cleanings, tooth extractions, and dental exams.
Dental care is personal – why wouldn’t it be? This is someone that’s going into your mouth detecting, cleaning and fixing any problems. The next time you hear that snap, crackle, or pop in your head, be sure to mention it to your dentist.