Author: nearmedental
If you have recently moved to a new area or your regular dentist has closed shop, you must be asking yourself as to how to find a good dentist open near me. You must be getting a lot of options if you have gone on the internet. Now, you just have to sort through to find the best dentist.
Knowing what to look for can help you find your next dentist. It is definitely a challenging task but with a little help, you can easily find a good dentist open near me.
How to Find a Good Dentist Open Near Me
First off, every dentist is different and each dentist comes with their own set of skills. It all depends on your opinions and preferences as you are not going to find all dentists suitable for you. Personalities can easily clash, even in the waiting area if you don’t like the chatty nature of the receptionist.
You can find a great dentist when you prioritize your needs above all else. Remember that the dental needs of your family members always come on top. However, if you are trying to find a good dentist near you, you can refer to “Standard of Care”.
Standard of Care
Standard of Care is the moral and ethical guidelines that all dentists are required to follow. In fact, your state laws determine what a dentist needs to do in the premises of their office. Every dentist holds certain values and they put the needs of their patients at the forefront of everything.
If you find a dentist practicing under the Standard of Care, you can be assured that he or she is a good dentist. You can read about their standard guidelines in their clinic or on their website regarding infection control or the type of treatments they offer. However, if the dentist is not following the required guidelines, you can assume that they are a bad dentist.
What to Look For in a Good Dentist Open Near Me?
Dental insurance, scheduling, and personalities aside, there are certain questions you need to ask regarding ethical and moral guidelines. These guidelines can be broken into 5 five things to understand which dentist will be a good fit for you.
Dental Hygienists
Having a good dental hygienist around in the office is not mandatory. In fact, it is your choice whether you are comfortable with your general dentist undertaking the role of a hygienist.
However, for some people, not having a dental hygienist is a big red flag. The reason for this can be that the dentist does not have a lot of experience which is why they do not have any hygienist working under them. Therefore, when you are scheduling your appointment, ask who will be doing the teeth cleaning.
Quality of Care
When you are scheduling your appointment, ensure that your hygienist is performing a routine period chart. You can confirm this during your first appointment by checking whether they are checking your gums or measuring your bone levels or not.
In fact, if your dentist near me is not checking your gum levels, it can be termed as supervised neglect.
Standard Cleaning
After you have gone through the above steps, ask your dentist how long a standard Cleaning procedure takes. If the standard time is less than 10 minutes, then you need to find another dentist.
Even with a clean set of teeth, a standard procedure will take more than 10 minutes. The average time for a proper cleanup is anywhere between 45 to 90 minutes which can include cleaning, x-rays, and dental exams. If you get the feeling of being rushed, find a good dentist open near me.
X-rays
Although dental x-rays are covered in insurance, your dentist should not use your insurance benefits as a guide to offer their services. If you feel that your dentist is offering you an x-ray because your insurance is due, it is a major red flag. Your teeth need regular x-rays if they are prone to decay.
Infection Control
Infection control refers to a wide array of hygienic procedures like wearing gloves, masks, cross-contamination, and sterilization. An easy way to find whether your dentist is following all the infection control procedures or not is by taking a tour of their office. If you find disposable gloves, open instruments, or masks lying around, then you need to find a better dentist open near me.
Bottom Line
Now you know how to find a good dentist open near me. Although good dentists in your area will always be mentioned in your insurance plan, you can follow these steps to get the best care.
