Choosing a Family Dentist in Marietta, GA
Keeping up a regular routine of brushing and flossing is important for maintaining your smile, but visiting your family dentist on a regular basis is a vital component of lifelong oral health. In fact, you’re more likely to maintain an appointment schedule and follow up with treatment plans when you have a great relationship with your dentist.
Most adults experience some level of anxiety or even fear when it comes to dental visits. Add in incompatibility with a dentist’s personality, and you might avoid the dentist at all costs. This type of situation isn’t uncommon, and it proves how crucial it is to take the time to find the right dentist that can cater to you and your family’s needs.
Whether you’ve recently moved to a new city or you’re simply looking for a new dentist to feel more comfortable with, here are some important things to consider during your search.
Figure out what services you need.
First things first, grab a piece of paper and write down what services you need your dental office to cover.
Consider what dental issues you and your family are currently facing, as well as which issues may require future treatment. Perhaps your child will need braces soon, or maybe you would like an implant to fill in that gap in your smile.
If you’re looking for a new dentist because of conflicts with a current dentist, you’ll want to double-check that any new prospects will be able to take over current treatment plans.
While the majority of family dentists offer a standard range of services, including general dentistry and preventive care, others might offer more specialized services. For example, Dr. Wohlers’ services go above and beyond by including Invisalign, cosmetic dentistry services, implants, and more. Finding a dentist that covers all your bases means you won’t need to rely on referrals to get the treatment you need
Do you have young kids? Look for a family dentist.
Older kids (12+) and teens may do just fine with a general dentist, but if you have young children, then searching for a family dentist is a great idea.
Compared to most general dentists, family dentists will have more experience with making kids feel comfortable and communicating with them in a manner that eases their nervousness. Another benefit is that family dentists still offer dental care to older siblings and parents, something that a dedicated pediatric dentist will not offer. This means your kid(s) will be able to stick with their same dentist for a much longer period of time and even continue going to them into adulthood.
Children that have dental-related fear may also feel more at ease knowing that their dentist is the same one that the rest of their family visits, as it instills a sense of trust and comfort right away.
Review patient testimonials and ask for opinions.
Once you’ve narrowed down your list to a few prospects, it’s highly recommended that you check reviews and testimonials for the dentists you have in mind.
If you haven’t already, take a moment to visit the dentist’s website. Chances are they’ll have some of their patients’ testimonials posted. However, you’ll also want to check for unbiased reviews just to cover your bases.
You can start with a Google search and find reviews that way. Another option is to search for the dental office on Yelp. Don’t forget that if the office has a Facebook page, it may also have ratings on it for you to look over.
It’s also worth asking friends, family, and coworkers for their opinion about a dentist you have in mind.
Check the dentist’s education and experience.
On the dentist’s website, there should be a section that outlines their education and background. You’ll want to not only see where they were to school for dentistry but also what field they focused on. It’s also nice to know if the dentist in question has continued their education since going into practice.
As an example, Dr. Wohlers not only graduated with honors from the Chapel Hill School of Dentistry, but she’s also an active member of numerous dental associations and dental study clubs. Dr. Wohlers is also active in community dental clinics, like the Mission of Mercy (MOM).
Having an understanding of what school your dentist went to, as well as what organizations and charity work they participate in, gives you a good idea of their experience and knowledge overall.
Be sure they accept your insurance.
The majority of dental offices will inquire about your insurance when you sign on as a new patient, but it’s still a good idea to figure this out ahead of time.
Not all dental offices accept the same types of insurance. When you’re still in the vetting process, you’ll want to give them a call and get verbal clarification that your insurance is accepted.
If you don’t have insurance, you’ll instead want to ask about finance options offered by the dental office. Wohlers Family Dentistry makes dental care affordable by accepting all major credit cards, cash, checks, and CareCredit. They also offer Wohlers VIP Club, which is a membership program in which you pay a small monthly fee and in return get free six-month exams, cleanings, X-rays, and even 10% off all other treatment services.
Visit the office and meet the dentist.
The final thing to do to really ensure a dentist is the right one for you is to visit the office and meet him/her yourself. This will give you a chance to see the office in person and speak with some of the staff. A quick meeting with the dentist allows you to put a face to the name and gives you a solid impression of their personality.
If you’re very confident about your choice of dentist, then you could sign on as a new patient and schedule a very basic appointment, such as a cleaning. This will give you an even better impression of the office, staff, and dentist, as well as the real experience of being a patient. From there, you can move on to a new patient exam and get the ball rolling with your new dentist!
