Many people are not sure what they should be looking for in the best family dentist, but it actually is quite simple: skill and experience with a track record of solid work, and a friendly rapport with all members of your family, regardless of age. An excellent family dentistry practice will provide you with great checkups as well as overall great care.
Broken down into more detail, though, here are some specific things that any dentist you are considering taking your family to should do.
The best dentists will seek to educate their patients about good dental care and suggest treatments. They encourage their patients to develop solid preventative habits. They will also have a strong educational background and a good record of continuing education and technological innovation. If there is ever any question, the background and record of any medical professional can always be looked up online. And, of course, reviews of any dental practice will be plentiful on the internet, as well.
The best family dentist will have a lot of knowledge about teeth and how to keep them clean. They can identify problems quickly and know the best way to fix them, and they will present that knowledge in a friendly and welcoming manner. Specifically for family dentists, they will know how to communicate effectively with younger children. After all, going to the dentist can be a scary experience for kids. If the dentist is friendly and speaks their language, that makes things easier.
Lastly, an excellent family dentist should have excellent communication skills so that they can effectively get across to patients — and in the case of children, to their parents — what all the various treatment options are in any situation. They should be completely open to input from the patients and their parents when developing a treatment plan and always understand that the patient is ultimately in charge of making their own healthcare decisions. The best dentists view themselves not as being in authority over their patients but rather a members of the patient’s healthcare team whose job is to provide excellent care and expert advice.
Whether or not the new family dentistry practice you are considering has dentists on staff that exhibits these qualities should be readily apparent by the reviews that you find online, but if you are looking for further confirmation, you should not hesitate to ask the practice if they can provide you with referrals from past patients.