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Choosing the Right Dentist

It’s no secret that San Diego residents are careful about how they choose medical professionals for their family, but sometimes it’s not easy to find everything you want in a dentist. We at Complete Dental Health understand that choosing a dentist is no small feat, so we’ve put together this guide to picking a dentist for individuals and families. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us! Even if you decide on a different dentist, Dr. Collins is always happy to help!

How to Choose the Right Dentist

There are a lot of factors to consider when looking at dentists in your area. For some San Diego folks, the most important thing is proximity, so it’s easy to narrow their search by location. For others, the key ingredient is affordable prices. Still, others may be looking for just the right service mix and supreme comfort. The easiest way to start your search is by setting your top three priorities. These may be location, cost, and comfort, or good reviews, service mix, and same-day appointments. Whatever is most important to you should be at the top of your list. Once you have an idea of what you need and what you want, the process becomes much easier.

Dentists & Insurance

If you have dental insurance, you may be tempted to choose a dentist that is “in-network” with your insurance plan, but there may be benefits of looking outside your network. This actually allows the dentist to focus on the quality of care, rather than the quantity of patients or services rendered.

At Complete Dental Health, our patient care is dictated by what is best for the patient, not what your insurance company will authorize. Most insurance companies contract at fees that are well below the cost of care in San Diego. Patients seeing a Preferred Provider may not always get the quality care they deserve based on their insurance plan.

Preferred Providers often feel pressured to perform more unnecessary work to account for the low in-network reimbursement levels. We see patients all the time for second opinions who have seen a Preferred Provider, just to be recommended an aggressive treatment plan for work that is not necessarily needed. Keep this in mind when you’re looking for a dentist, and don’t be afraid to look outside your network.

The Experience is Everything

At the end of the day, it’s all about your experience at the dentist. That’s why Dr. Collins suggests asking friends and family to recommend a dentist they trust. Once you’ve found a doctor that might fit, schedule a consultation. Most insurance will cover consultations with multiple dentists (but not multiple x-ray consultations with one dentist), so feel free to shop around. When you go in, try to get a sense of how it feels to be a patient there.

Is the staff friendly? Is the office clean? Do you have to wait a long time? Can they answer your questions to your satisfaction? How are the other patients treated? Do the other patients seem satisfied? How do they treat the staff? How far is the staff willing to go for your comfort? How easy is it to get price information?

Here are two crucial questions to ask over the phone:

  • “Which specialists do you work with?” If the answer is none, you might be taking a big risk in going there. No dentist is an expert at every dental specialty.
  • “How many hygienists do you have?” If the answer is none, you should walk away; hygienists specialize in cleanings and dentists shouldn’t be doing them.

Finding the Right Fit Feels Good

Once you’ve found the right dentist, you’ll know it. Maybe great online reviews got you into the office or they offer all of the cosmetic services you wanted. Either way, at the end of your appointment, you should have a pretty good idea of what you can expect in the future. If for any reason you don’t, just ask! Dentists tend to be very accommodating to new patients.

If you would like to learn more, or have a professional walk you through this process over the phone, give us a call! We love to help San Diego residents find the dental care they need!

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