Choosing a dentist now is so much different than it used to be. Understandably, many things have changed over the past thirty years. Some of the changes are good, some of the changes are bad, and some of the changes are confusing. I intend to diminish some of the confusion with choosing a dentist.
First of all, many people select their dentist based upon a list of “preferred providers” from their employer. These dentists and dental offices accept a lower fee for their services in exchange for having their practices marketed by employers. This may sound great, but there are very real consequences that may result such as double-booked appointment times, rationed appointment times, and business practices to increase recommended treatment, among others. For more on this, please follow this link.
Secondly, many practices are no longer owned by a single dentist. Many offices now are owned by a group, corporate, or retail entity. With all the cute names of dental practices, it is difficult for people to know who is doing their dental work. Many dentists for some reason do not want their own name associated with the name of their dental practice as well. Many patients today are more interested in selecting the make and model of their next car for the next few years than they are interested in exactly who is performing their dental work. Many of these non-traditional practices have a high turnover of dentists providing care, so the continuity of care is disrupted in some way. Is this really what you want?
Third, quite a few practices market their services like a mattress store or a discounted fee tire store. Many patients take advantage of these “deals.” Is it really a good deal? With the enticements to significantly decrease fees, are there activities being done to add on more services? You have one set of teeth; is this really how you should select a dentist? Is this how you choose your dermatologist? Your orthopedic surgeon? Really, let’s think about this. You may have surgery being done on modified bones, your teeth. Do you really want the lowest bidder to be doing the surgery? Really?
I understand people want to save money. However, in saving money, people should understand what they are getting into. If you want continuity of care by a single dentist, ask who is providing your care, ask how long that dentist has been there, ask how long they have been practicing dentistry, and ask if that dentist owns the practice. If you want continuity of care, ask how many dentists work at the office, and if you can select the same dentist to be your dentist at each visit as well. Pay attention to how long you have to wait prior to being able to have an appointment, and pay attention to how long you have to wait following to your appointment time to be seen. Always look for online reviews of the individual dentist.
If you want to know more about my single-dentist, privately-owned, patient-centered, and value-conscious dental office, please follow this link.
If you want to know more about Dr. Venincasa, please follow this link.
If you want to make an appointment, we would welcome your calling us at (972) 250-2580.
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