Your dentist will most likely be your dental healthcare partner for a long time. Hence, it is imperative that you choose the right dentist for yourself as well as your family. Apart from experience and expertise, you need to consider many other factors, so that you don’t end up spending too much money, time or effort in reaching your doctor.

Does the dentist work with all insurances?
First, look at the dental procedures covered by your dental health plan. As it becomes necessary to find if the dentist you choose can submit claims to all insurance providers, including yours. In some cases, dentists who belong to certain networks cannot submit claims to providers who belong to the same networks, thus leaving you in a fix if your healthcare insurance provider belongs to the said category.

Does the dentist discuss treatment plans and cost estimates up front?
This is another important aspect to take note of when choosing a dentist. The dentist you choose should discuss the treatment plan in detail with you, including the time taken for the treatment, the medications used, the procedures followed, and the number of visits needed to complete the treatment. The dentist should also provide you a detail of the costs involved, up front, including all hidden costs, taxes and extra costs. This will give you a clear idea, as you can prepare yourself to know what to expect before, during, and after the treatment.

Is the clinic located close by and does it offer convenient timings?
If you are a working professional, you will need to choose a dentist who could provide a schedule for treatments and follow up visits as per your convenience. The doc should be flexible enough to accommodate your appointments at short notice or provide alternate dates for missed appointments. A clinic that is close to your home will also be an added advantage for hassle-free treatment. All in all, see the services closely as they need to suit your preferences and then go for one.

What kind of anesthesia does the dentist use?
Though it may sound like an out-of-context question, this is a very important aspect to take note of, especially if you always doubt the expertise the dentists have and their dental treatments. A dentist must make his/her patients feel as comfortable as possible in the clinic. Most importantly, the dentist should offer oral sedation as part of the treatment. If you know all this, you can tell whether you are in safe hands or not.

Does the dentist offer consultation prior to treatment?
Once you have a list of dentists in your list, call them to book appointments with each one of them. Visit the dentist in person, and get an insight into how well he/she knows about the treatment, which network or organization he/she is affiliated with, and all the other details mentioned above. This will allow you to narrow down your choices to those who meet your requirements.

Choosing the right dentist for your dental treatment is important. This way, you will know what things to consider and other important aspects before you finalize the one, who meets your requirements and budget.