Getting dental treatment done is often accompanied by great anxiety for the vast majority of people. The largest component of this anxiety is usually not being sure if we have chosen the right dental office for the patients needs. Following are 5 quick points which should be considered when choosing your local dentist(points not necessarily in order of priority) :
1) Inquire about sterilization protocols followed. Most good offices have something called a "Class B autoclave" for effective instrument sterilization. The sterilization chain right from how the assistant handles the instruments to how the doctor addresses patient safety (for instance with safety eye glasses) need to be considered.
2) Does the doctor and the staff have a friendly demeanor and are they the sort who would be approachable in case of a toothache in the middle of the night.
3) Credentials of the doctor. Is the doctor U.S. Board certified, for instance? Postgraduate or general dentist?
4) Does the dentist claim to do all treatment by himself/herself, or is there an internal referral process to involve other specialists when necessary. Does the dentist spend enough time in educating the patient in preventive measures?
5) Does the dental office appear to be upgraded with the latest dental technology to provide optimum and ethical patient care? (Having a fancy LED screen in the waiting room does not count ! )
Hope these points help !