Charlotte Dentist

The first thing you may want to check when selecting a new dentist is, are they covered by your dental insurance? Unfortunately, not all dental insurance will cover the same dental offices. Before beginning your search, take some time to explore the dentists your dental insurance provider covers.

Good dental care practices involve getting regular check-ups every six months. If your insurance does not cover your new dentist, this can get very expensive very quickly. This is especially true if you are looking for a new dentist for your family.

There are several different types of dentists and dental or oral specialists. The right dentist for you will be the one that aligns most closely with your primary dental needs. Maybe for you, that is a general dentist who can perform your biannual check-up. Or maybe it is a pediatric dentist for your children’s dental needs.

Some types of dentists and oral specialists are:

• General dentists
• Cosmetic dentists
• Pediatric dentists
• Orthodontists
• Periodontists
• Endodontists
• Prosthodontists
• Oral surgeons

Services:

• Braces
• Invisalign
• Cleanings
• Teeth Whitening

Schedule online for your free consultation.

If your first language is not English, you may need a dentist whose office provides translation services. While you may be comfortable with conversational speech, you may not be familiar with medical terminology that dentists use.

Check to see what translation options an office provides if you are an individual who requires a translator.

Whether you are new to the city or not, when it comes to finding a dentist, Charlotte, NC, has many options. Unfortunately, sifting through all these potential dentist offices can be time-consuming, and you may be wondering how to speed up the process or filter your results to only the dentists who may be the best fit for your needs.

Here are some tips you can follow to simplify your search and find the right dentist for you.

Ask For Recommendations from People You Trust

If you have friends or family living in the area, you can ask them about their dental healthcare providers. They may be worth checking out for yourself if your friends and family recommend them. If you feel comfortable, you may also be able to ask co-workers who have mentioned things about their dentists or openly recommend them to others.

People that you know who have the brightest and whitest smiles likely have a great dental care team. As soon as one of them starts talking about their dentist, ask them for their name and number!

Get a Referral from a Physician

Medical professionals are great resources to ask because they are likely picky regarding their care. If you have a primary care physician you have been going to for years or a family doctor who knows your family well, try asking them if they have any recommendations.

Doctors also tend to get feedback about dentists around them, so you may be able to pick up information about other great options in your area by asking them.

Search Databases

You can use a number of dental healthcare databases to help you choose a dentist. Maybe you want to focus on only dentists who are a part of the American Dental Association (ADA). Or perhaps one of the many other dental associations. Whatever your choice, you can find a database of options near you. You may also want to check out your insurance’s network of dental care providers. Databases can be a great way to filter your possible dental offices for various criteria, which can help to speed up your search.

Check Out Reviews and Websites

Once you’ve narrowed down your list of possible options for you, you can go ahead and visit individual websites. While not all good dentists are going to have a stellar website, a good website can be a good way to help you learn more about the dentist and the office. Look for information about the staff, the services offered, strengths and weaknesses, and reviews. Reviews can be a great way to gauge what a dentist’s office is like for the patients.

Red Flags to Look Out for

When looking for a new dentist, it can be easy to gloss over certain feelings and find an office that you can make work for you. But, this can result in a dental care provider who is not a good fit for you or your family and, worst case, improper care for your teeth.

Some red flags to keep in mind are:

• Unkempt offices
• Rude or impatient staff members
• Limited treatment options
• Uncomfortable feeling in the office itself
• Negative responses from your child
• Defensive attitude when asking for a second opinion

Many offices have ready-made lists that outline the general costs of their standard procedures. Some offices may not have this list. But, you may be able to schedule a face-to-face consultation to go over your insurance coverage and the prices of common procedures for you.

• Root Canal
• Porcelain Veneers
• Gum Disease Treatment
• Sleep Apnea
• Braces
• Invisalign
• Oral Surgery
• Teeth Whitening
• Tooth Extractions
• Emergency Dentistry
• Dental Surgeries
• All-on-4
• Dental Crowns
• Oral Health
• Charlotte NC Dentist
• Restorative Dentistry
• Dental and Oral Care

Realistically, there is no foolproof way to distinguish a good dentist from a bad dentist based on their history. But knowing a little bit more about your dentist can help you to get a better idea of whether they may be a good fit for your needs.

Many dental offices have separate hours for dental emergencies. You may want to find out the normal response time for these situations and the general procedure. In reality, emergencies happen, and you want to be as prepared as you can be for them.

Keep in mind your own schedule with this question. Are you able to schedule and go to appointments within your schedule reliably? What about the schedules of others in your family?