How do I find a good dentist?

I hear that question several times a year when someone who has been coming to my office for years is moving out of the area. Where do you start? Establishing trusting relationships with new service providers, including a dentist, physician, hair stylist, drycleaner or any number of other services is always one of the challenges of moving.

An indicator of the strength and value of a long-established relationship is the distance a client will sometimes travel in order to continue the relationship. Many service providers, including dentists, have clients who drive well over an hour or more, passing untold numbers of other offices along the way to reach their trusted provider of a service.

However, the pace of life and the demands of work often make that unrealistic. How do you choose where to go? A great place to start is to ask several trusted neighbors or colleagues in your new location. You will sometimes hear the same name come up several times. Ask them specifics about what they like. Do you hear, “You have GOT to go see my dentist, Dr. B. Gentle. He’s the best!” or, are they merely passing on the name of someone who is on the insurance “list” or close to home? Contact the local dental society in your county to see if they are a member. While it is not a requirement for licensing by the state, most dentists do maintain membership and attend regular continuing educational courses.

Today, in this age of instant information, the most popular way to seek out new services is to log on to the Internet. Search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo are a fast way to glean a lot of information quickly. Type in the name of the provider you are interested in or simply type in something like “Auburn dentist” and pages of search results will appear. Typically, most practices today have a website address, usually some variation of the dentist’s name, which will be high on the list of search results.

Spend a few minutes there and you should be able to find out quite a lot about the doctor, philosophy, team, office services and hours of service. Often there are “Before and After” photos showing examples of their skill in cosmetic dental procedures.

Another highly ranked search result will likely be one, or several rating sites of the dentists in the greater Puget Sound area. Some offices will show multiple post-treatment survey comments submitted by patients. These sites, like Doctor Oogle, Angie’s List and others allow you to have the benefit of a great deal of unedited feedback from many different patients on their experiences at the dental office you are interested in. All reputable rating sites like those mentioned expressly prohibit reviews from the business owner, employees or their families in order to keep the comments objective. Look for a few ratings that point out less than perfect experiences or even outright complaints. We are all human, so if there are absolutely no negative comments or constructive criticism from clients, one should wonder about the validity of the rating. However, be assured that on a legitimate rating site, it is quite a difficult process for a business to have a negative rating removed, and is only granted if slander or malice can be shown.

See for yourself

Finally, after doing your homework by asking around and surfing the net, call the office during business hours. How is the phone answered? Can you feel the warmth of a caring smile through the phone, or do you hear a monotone “Hold please”? Are you still unsure after some time on the phone with the New Patient Coordinator? If so, don’t be afraid to ask if they offer a complimentary tour of the office, including a few minutes to meet the doctor before committing to a regular appointment.

During your tour, check things out. Does the office look and smell clean? Look for cobwebs, dust and the condition of the bathroom. You can tell a lot about a business and its attention to detail that way. Is the office team friendly, yet professional? Does the office offer up-to-date methods of communicating with you like email and text message reminders? How are after-hours emergencies handled? Do the reception and treatment areas look updated and fresh, or tired and worn out?

Of course, a beautiful office does not mean that you will automatically receive quality care, any more than an outdated one means the opposite. However, it is one of many factors to take into account. Providing high quality dentistry in a caring manner requires attention to detail and a regular updating of skills and equipment in order to deliver the care a patient deserves. Doesn’t it stand to reason that the rest of the office environment and procedures should be handled the same way?

Lastly, look for that hard to define, yet accurate “gut factor”. You must feel listened to, truly cared for and comfortable with your dental team. After all, it’s your health you are placing in their hands, each time you walk in the door.

Stuart Rich, DDS, PS is a general dentist in Auburn, and a regular contributor to the Auburn Reporter. Questions or suggestions for other topics on dentistry that you would like to see covered can be sent to info@StuartRichDDS.com.