10 Questions to Ask on a First Dental Appointment

When entering into a new oral relationship with a dental practice in Canberra, Australia, I would recommend ensuring you have answers to questions before proceeding with any work.

I have compiled a list depending on your needs, there isn’t necessarily a wrong answer but you’d certainly like some clarity on these points by the end of your first appointment:

#1. Is patient’s nutritional counselling something you offer?

A:

Some traditional dentist will happily talk and give guidance on diet and how certain foods and drinks affect the health of your teeth. Most likely these will already be common knowledge to you, such as not touching:

• High sugar drinks and snacks
• Highly acidic drinks
• Late-night sugars such as chocolates and biscuits
• Coffee and red wine

However, a top quality hygienist in Weston will share new nutritional tips and offer lifestyle changes and advise, to help you gain stronger teeth, fewer cavities and healthier gums.

If you feel nutritional advice is better given by your doctor that is your prerogative, but many people are curious about oral care, not just overall nutritional advice.

#2. What do you strive for with inpatient care?

A:

You should be looking for a dentist who strives to do as little invasive work as possible, intending to help avoid future problems requiring lengthy and expensive work; this is the sign of a dentist looking for long-term business.

Look for a dentist Canberra who tries to find a way of doing as little work as possible when correcting any issues is key. At the same time, they should look to advise you about preventative ways to ensure the work they do is successful and lasts as long as possible.

A dentist that immediately wants to do lots of work needs to be second-guessed and further quotes obtained.

#3. What is the cost?

A:

Look for a Weston Creek dentist who gives you a full list of all standard procedures, this should include in and out-of-network costs.

X-Rays are needed for most common work so the costing is important, you should be able to obtain these even through email if they are not listed on their website already.

Some dentist will look for a face-to-face meeting as they will look to discuss your insurance policy to verify a quotation. If you do not currently have any insurance, it is important to put the legwork in to ensure you are not being overcharged for the service as you are physically paying.

Also be sure to enquire about payment plans, credit card payment and financing options. For extensive work, this is a must and should be an iron-clad agreement of at what stages further payments are required.

#4 How much of the work will be done in-house?

A:

Some dentists today can offset certain procedures elsewhere; from experience this may not be what you are looking for.

A good answer to this question would be in the region of:

‘Here we handle the less invasive procedures, however, if the x-ray results indicate you need extensive surgery I can recommend you to a specialist who comes highly recommended and I trust.’

#5. Where did you gain your qualifications?

A:

In Australia dental schools are accredited, however, if the dentist is from another country that has different standards and requirements, it’s essential to see that they have the necessary accreditation to be practising in your local area.

If the dentist gives you the details of the school they qualified through, then check out the school as it doesn’t hurt to see some online ratings for reassurance.

#6. How long have you been practising?

A:

Experience is so important.

A solid dentist will have no issues with sharing information and qualifications with you, where they studied and where they have worked. I would like to add that if a dentist is young and fairly fresh out of school this does not mean they should be overlooked.

Young dentists could well be trained in new innovative methods and look to embrace new technologies as some older dentists may not at a late stage of their careers.

Also consider that you are looking for a long-term relationship, so a younger dentist with new techniques could be a good solution.

It’s the balance between experience in procedures and handling patients to someone who has cutting-edge ideas.

#7. How do you deal with children?

A:

A good children dentist Canberra should be able to show you different services related to children at a different cost to adults and should have an extensive list of services. While at the first appointment you’ll see how warm and friendly the dentist and the staff are with the children, that’s obviously a good gauge.

#8. How do you handle dental emergencies?

A:

This is a question not to forget. Enquire about response times, is the service 24-7, and what is the normal response time given the distance between home and the practice?

In the Canberra area for example search for emergency dentist Canberra, this will give you a good place to start researching viable dentists that go above and beyond the normal service.

This can be important in establishing a long-term relationship.

#9. Are you in continual education?

A:

Although this may seem slightly invasive a confident dentist should gladly provide an answer, and again when looking for a long-term relationship, you should be looking at a dentist that is continually looking to better themselves on new techniques and new technologies.

#10. What are the full office hours? And what about evenings and weekends?

A:

The answers to these questions, albeit they sound simple will give you an insight into how considerate the dentist is towards working families, although your decision shouldn’t be solely based around this, it is an important factor if the adults in the household are working full-time.

Conclusion

Make a short-list of what you are looking for in a dentist. Make sure you use all the available research tools at your disposal, from word-of-mouth referrals to online searches and reviews.

Do not be afraid to ask questions, this is an important service for all the family and a costly one to boot! If you find an organised and willing dentist that meets your criteria and most importantly makes you feel comfortable, then this is a good start.

Regardless of if it is just for routine check-up’s or you are looking for something aesthetic like teeth whitening Canberra, you need to feel comfortable and fully informed on all the above before you take that final step.

You should walk into a welcoming and clean environment with well-informed staff if you do you are on your way to finding a long-term dental partner. Good luck.