Dentophobia – also known as a fear of going to the dentist – affects roughly 50% of the population, ranging from mild to extreme anxiety. If you believe you might suffer from dentophobia, have you ever considered that you might need a new dentist? One who is experienced, compassionate and gentle, taking the time to walk you through each procedure and gauge your comfort level. Once you find the right dentist to alleviate your fears and fit your needs, you’ll be so happy, you’ll want to share that discovery with friends, family members, neighbors, co-workers and more. You’ll have the opportunity to mark many life milestones while under their care and bring your own children to visit them one day. But, first, you’ve got to find them. Bear in mind, this quest extends beyond the dentist to the entire practice – you’ll want one that’s atmosphere and staff is warm, welcoming and knowledgeable. Knowing that the search for a caring and skilled dentist can be a challenge, here are five helpful tips to get you started in finding the right dentistry practice for YOU…
1) Pay a Virtual Visit to Their Website: In this digital age, a company’s website serves as a digital extension of their brick-and-mortar experience. The same can be said for dental practices. It’s a great place to go to get a sense of the team, office and services. More robust websites may include photos and bios from their dentists, testimonials from patients and more. If you enjoy your visit to their website, chances are, you’ll feel the same during a visit to their office. In the event that there are no bios listed on the website, you may want to visit a website like Healthgrades.com to see if you can find their experience and credentials there.
2) Read Reviews: Unless their reviews come from a third-party feed, it’s likely that the testimonials you read on a dental practice’s websites will only be glowing. Take an extra step and look to websites like Google, Yelp.com or even the practice’s Facebook page. You can also ask your friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members if they’ve ever visited that practice or if they have another dentist they recommend (and why!)
3) Convenience is Key: It’s always a good idea to find a dentist that’s either close to home or convenient to your workplace. Of course, when you’ve found the right dentist for you, it might be worth the drive of a few extra miles. Make sure they are accepting new patients and that their practice hours also work with your own schedule. A growing number of practices will even offer online appointment scheduling – so you aren’t limited to calling in during hours of operation. Do they see family members of a wide variety of ages? How great would it be if the whole family could visit the same dental practice? Talk about CONVENIENT!
4) Gender Preference: While roughly 50% of the U.S. population have no preference with regard to the gender of their doctor or dentist, for some, seeing a provider of the same sex goes a long way in making them feel more comfortable. According to a study by YouGov, that is the case for 46% of women and 23% of males. For males, they may be more forthright about any dental issues or discomfort they are contending with when speaking with a male dentist. For females, they may find a female dentist to be gentler, a good listener and less likely to use medical jargon – making them easier to communicate with. If that’s the case for you, simply request a dentist of the same gender when making an appointment once you’ve found a practice you like.
5) For Some, It All Comes Down to Insurance: While not all employers offer dental insurance, for those employees who do have it among their benefits, the first place you’ll want to look for a new dentist is the insurers list of providers. Once you’ve found a list of in-network dental practices near you, you can walk through the other tips in this list – read reviews, visit their website and see if they have a dentist in the gender you prefer. If you don’t have dental insurance, you may want to check with the list of dentists you’ve narrowed down to learn which ones offer a payment plan in the event you require a pricey procedure.
Gentry Dentistry of Suwanee welcomes the opportunity to make your list of prospective Georgia dental providers and we hope you find the right fit in our Suwanee dental practice. Our dentists – Dr. Harry Gentry and Dr. Darby Gentry Tompkins – represent a winning balance of gender, experience and compassionate care. There’s an exceptionally good reason we’ve been in practice since 1987. Serving patients of all ages, word of mouth from our clients has kept us going strong for decades. We invite you to visit our website to meet our team, learn more about our services, read our reviews and – if you like what you see – book an appointment. We’re accepting new patients and can’t wait to meet you!
