People can have the same local dentist for their entire lives. There are many benefits to seeking out the perfect local dentist and sticking with them. Of course, you do need to make sure that you have the right one to begin with.

 Your Local Dentist is Part of Your Life

It may sound cheesy but you should be seeing your local dentist multiple times a year and this means that they will be a part of your life. It is very important for you to feel comfortable around your dentist, especially as he will be in close proximity examining your teeth. You will find that there are probably a few dentists close to your proximity whom you could make your regular. Here are some key things to take into consideration when choosing who your local dentist should be.

Do You Trust Your Local Dentist's Expertise?

You really need to have faith in your dentist's ability. If you don't then you won't value visiting for regular check ups and this can lead to the neglect of your oral hygiene. As an add on to this, if you don't believe your dentist is good enough then there is likely something to be creating that belief and so it is probably true. When seeking out a new dentist a great way to gauge on their ability is to check out what others are saying about them. If there are no reviews online from patients discussing recent visits to the dentist then you can suspect that this dentist has little to shout about. Some great places to check out your local dentist's reviews are; Google reviews, Facebook reviews and TrustPilot reviews. You are putting your health in the hands of your dentist and so you need to be confident that they are capable to handle this responsibility.

Ease of Access

This is something that patients often overlook. An ideal dentist will be easy to travel to, have available parking and be in close proximity to public transport (if needed). Anything that makes it more difficult to get to your dentist will put you off going in for your check ups as well as making it difficult for you to attend your appointments. It is often a stressful time to visit then dentist and so any environmental conditions that are controllable should certainly not be adding to the stress.

Opening Hours

Before enrolling at your local dentist you should check their opening hours. Here at Bamboo Dental we are open 7 days a week as well as closing late on week days. We do this as many people struggle to get time off work. We therefore make ourselves as available as possible to our patients by opening at times when they won't be hindered by trying to get the time off work.

Range of Treatments

Finding out down the line that your local dentist does not provide a certain treatment that you need is a real pain. It means that you have to find another dentist who you are not familiar with and who is not familiar with your dental history. This not only makes the whole experience more of an ordeal but it will often prolong the treatment time that you require. Finding a local dentist who offers a full range of treatments is the answer to this. Even better is if there is some form of loyalty system in place that rewards you for staying with your dentist. This not only gives you an added benefit but shows you that your dentist sees you as a valuable patient and is willing to give you added benefits to thank you for choosing them.

Private vs NHS Local Dentist

Another key objective to research is whether you are looking for an NHS dentist or a private dentist. Check out this article on the benefits of private vs NHS dentists to understand which is going to be the right choice for you. You will find that many dental practices operate with two arms to their practice covering both private and NHS dentistry. You may be surprised to know that private dentistry is actually not expensive at all. You can join a private practice for much less money than you would pay for your mobile phone contract each month. With private dentistry, you will be able to rap many more benefits than if you had joined an NHS dentist and so it is definitely worth checking out. Regardless of which you choose, the first thing you will need to do is to call up to find out if there are waiting lists and if there are spaces for you to join the dental practice on either an NHS or a private list.

Why Should You Stick With Your Dentist?

Assuming you have gone through all of the steps to find the perfect dentist it is beneficial for you to then stick with them. They will get to know you and get to know your teeth. This means that they will understand exactly the situation of your teeth in detail. On top of this, they will know you as a person. This is especially helpful if you struggle with dental anxiety. You will feel more at ease with a familiar face and your dentist will know your limits and know what they can do to keep you calm should you become anxious whilst in the dental chair.

In Conclusion

It is clearly important to not rush into anything when deciding on who should be your local dentist. You should not just go for the first dentist that will take you. It is imperative to think about the long term. Choose a dentist who you feel comfortable with and who you are happy to look after your teeth for the foreseeable future.