A Guide to Choosing a Dentist

Keeping a good oral hygiene is very important. Apart from brushing your teeth regularly, flossing, using mouthwash etcetera, regular dental check-up is necessary as well.

A good practice is to see a dentist once every 6 months for a general check-up.

I remember being not happy with the idea of seeing a dentist when I was growing up. Back then, a trip to a dentist could cause a nightmare. I remember not having any pleasant experience with the dentists or the dental nurses.

Most of the time they couldn’t care less about how you feel about the treatment, or they were rude and unprofessional towards the patients.

Back then, I only went to see the dentist when it was absolutely necessary to see one, like for an extraction or a filling. But as years go by, I realised that I need to take care of my teeth and seeing a dentist is very important.

So I voluntarily went to see a dentist here in Melbourne for the first time in 2011. It wasn’t until 2013 when I was pregnant with my second child that I finally found a dentist that I felt happy to see.

Folks, I think it is imperative that you find a dentist that you are comfortable with and here I have my list of steps on how to choose a dentist.

1.       Google Search

Use Google to search for dental clinics. Look for any reviews (either reviews on Google Maps, or website such as WOMO). At this point, I will definitely feel happy and relieve if I know that the clinic has their own regularly maintained website. Bonus points if they have a Facebook page. Yippee!

2.       Opening Times

Check to see if they open when you are available. Some clinics only open during weekdays. I would definitely choose a clinic that opens on a Saturday because that is the only day I could attend dental appointments.

3.       Accommodating Dentists

Does the dentist treat nervous patients well?

I find it helpful by telling the dentist beforehand that I am anxious about dental appointments. A good dentist should be accommodating towards your feelings and the dentist should be able to explain to you about the treatment course before any work is done. This is the time when you ask questions or make your worries known.

4.       Price

Well, this is something we can’t control. How much they charge for their services is not something that we can haggle for.

But if you have private health insurance, it will certainly help to pay for any gap, or none to pay at all.

5.       Location

If you can find one closest to where you live, and you are happy with the treatment then good for you. Otherwise, it isn’t wrong to venture further to seek the one that you are comfortable with.

So with all these steps I hope you can find a dentist that suits your requirements. For further reading I suggest this article from wikiHow, How to Choose a Dentist.

* wikiHow is building the world’s largest and highest quality how-to manual. Content on wikiHow can be shared under a CreativeCommons License*

I hope you have fun hunting for a dentist!