Whether you’re new to a city or simply looking for a new perspective on your oral healthcare, having a home dentist is crucial to maintaining proper oral hygiene. Whatever stage you’re in on your oral healthcare journey, it can always be tricky to weed through the process of finding a new dentist. To make sure you have all the necessary information to find the right one for you, Dr. Hunter Charvet and Dr. Hunter Charvet Jr. have provided some important questions to consider when searching for a new dentist. Here at Charvet Dental Center, we are happy to help answer any questions and advise everyone to help create better oral healthcare in Metairie.
Previewing prospective dentists.
Before getting started on your search, there are some general things to consider in terms of your personal needs. These things will be based on your preferences and lifestyle, such as your commute, accessibility to your oral care provider, flexibility in scheduling and other factors in your day-to-day routine. Whatever your needs in terms of treatment, it’s important to find a dentist that fits your schedule. This makes it easier to transition into a new hygiene routine to get the best out of your smile. We recommend you start by searching for dentists in your area to decrease the load of having to schedule appointments, where finding time is a big factor. One of the major effects of your treatment progression is consistency. Being able to maintain regular check-ins and scheduled appointments with your dentist is essential to ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to oral healthcare. Once you’ve established a group of prospects within your convenience, the next step is checking for the features and services of each office to fit your needs.
What are their areas of specialization?
What are their areas of specialization?The first question you might want to consider is what are the potential practice’s area of expertise. Just like each patient has a unique set of needs, every dentist has specific areas of specialty. Most dentists list them on their websites along with patient testimonials and other forms of credentials to speak to their abilities. Ideally, you’ll want a doctor whose skill set matches up with your needs for oral healthcare. This is a great question to ask to better understand the dentist’s professional qualifications and interests. You can ask about their background, education, training, and professional licenses. Some other questions you might want to consider are things like do they belong to any professional organizations? If they have a great amount of experience, how do they stay up to date with the latest trends and progressions in the field? Their answers can tell you a lot about their personal preferences, which is a major factor in building a relationship with a new dentist.
How does the dentist manage a patient’s needs?
Whether it’s a routine check-in or a larger oral procedure, your dentist should be someone who you trust to guide you from the beginning through the completion of treatment. At Charvet Dental Center, you and your entire family can enjoy personalized dental care in the comfortable and compassionate hands of our dental experts. No matter who your dentist is, we believe you should feel safe and confident to work toward your next smile. Seeing your dentist regularly for preventative treatments is routine. However, the true value of your chosen practice’s customer service comes when you have a problem. Whether it’s a toothache, TMJ pain, a gum infection, or something worse—you want a dentist who makes full use of the diagnostic tools and body of medical research available in the industry. A good dentist will listen carefully to what’s bothering you and make use of every diagnostic aid before giving a patient a definitive diagnosis in order to create the best route of treatment.
What is their process for each procedure?
When an oral health problem is detected, your dentist should create a plan of action that tracks the steps from diagnosis to ending treatment. Whenever a patient has an oral health problem, be it cavities, an infection, gum disease, impacted teeth, or otherwise, your dentist should make it a routine procedure to provide you with a written diagnosis along with an itemized treatment plan and timeline. This helps keep everyone on track and accountable for their part in making sure treatment is effective. A documented treatment plan will also allow the dentist and patient to set proper expectations on what to expect during treatment so that they remain on the same page throughout the entire process. A good dentist will have this information readily available in their records as a matter of routine, and sharing these details is critical to the patient/provider relationship.
Choosing the right dentist for you.
Choosing the right dentist for you. Now that you have an idea of what to look for in your next dentist, we hope you feel confident in moving forward to the next steps of your journey. Although there are many questions you could ask prospective dentists, the most important thing is getting the information you need. Meeting with a provider before you become a patient is a great way to assess your comfort level with the dentist, as well as their dental hygiene and office staff. Remember, it is ultimately your decision. If a particular dentist doesn’t feel right for any reason, take your business elsewhere. Your oral health matters, and getting the best quality is essential for achieving and maintaining your best smile. Next time you’re in need of dental service, we hope you’ll consider trusting your smile with us.
At Charvet Dental Center, we are cosmetic dentists offering checkups, teeth cleaning, crowns, veneers and more. Our team is committed to delivering the highest quality dental care, and we do so using state-of-the-art dental equipment. Whether you live in Metairie or the surrounding area, we value the opportunity to care for your smile. You can be confident that you’ll feel refreshed every time you leave our office.