The Dentist To Avoid

The dentist a person selects to work on their teeth can make teeth, gums and mouths feel great, look spectacular and be healthy. Choosing the wrong oral health care practitioner can lead to misery or big bills. Taking some time to select the most competent professional will lead to a better outcome. Here are some things to think about regarding DDS's to avoid:

Doesn't take your insurance: Before sitting in the dental chair, make certain that the DDS takes your type of medical insurance. Simply assuming that they do can lead to big misunderstandings and hefty amounts owed. If a person doesn't have dental insurance, he or she should inquire in advance about how much specific procedures will cost. Some practices offer payment plans or reduced fees for patients without policy coverage. Finding out this piece of information in advance is a must. Avoid the office that doesn't accept your plan.

Too far away: Driving across the border to Mexico to have root canals and crowns placed can save lots of cash up front. If anything goes wrong; however, the person back in Minnesota is going to be in trouble. The patient who has saved money on a Mexican root canal may end up paying lots more for emergency care back in the states. Selecting a practitioner closer to home will allow for easy access should a complication occur.

Pushy sales tactics: When a patient goes to the dentist, he or she wants to have oral health care needs taken care of in a professional manner. He or she does not want to have the latest, greatest, expensive procedures performed on the teeth, gums and mouth without soliciting them. If an office's staff members try to up-sell patients on taking out perfectly good silver fillings and replacing them with porcelain, this is a red flag. If a patient requests information on replacements and advanced options, this is fine. If the dental office tries to hard sell unsolicited procedures and treatments, it is time to find another pro.

Insensitive: Many individuals are afraid of the dentist. They may have a phobia or simply have had bad experiences in the past. Dental staff that is sensitive to this will treat the patient with TLC, give appropriate pain medication and be encouraging. If a DDS is insensitive by telling the patient in a variety of ways to "buck up," it's time to find another office with a more sensitive and professional atmosphere.

Always late: Running behind schedule happens on occasion. If the office is always running way behind and a slew of crabby patients are always cooling their heels together in the waiting room, it may be time to find another DDS. The patients' time is valuable, too.

There are way too many high quality oral health care practitioners to settle for anything less. Avoid the dentist who doesn't take your insurance, is too far away, tries to sell unsolicited procedures, and is insensitive or tardy. When a person finds a high quality pro, he or she would be wise to sign up for the duration and spread the word to friends, family and neighbors. Telling the DDS "thank you" doesn't hurt, either.