What to Consider When Looking for a Dentist in the Pensacola area

In a human’s lifetime, they will have developed and grown 52 teeth. By the age of 3, toddlers have 20 primary choppers (also known as baby teeth). Once they’ve all fallen out by the age of 7/8, a full set of adult’s permanent teeth are grown. Our adult dental set comprise of 8 incisors, 4 canines, 8 premolars, and 12 molars, as a bonus 4 wisdom teeth emerges from behind the back molars between the ages of 17-25.

Having the right dentist to look after your teeth is a very important thing. Just like you can’t go without a great hairdresser, you definitely need a great dentist or orthodontist. They ensure that your choppers are bright, clean, healthy, and aligned perfectly.

Finding the perfect Pensacola dentist is easier said than done, though. To help you find the perfect fit for you, here are a few fundamental factors to consider before booking an appointment:

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING

This goes without saying, a dentist and all the assistants and staff should be well trained. Before booking an appointment, you can request to see the dentist’s credentials and certificates (if it’s not already listed on the practice’s website).

Having a degree isn’t equivalent to actually having clinical experience. Practicing dentists should have the necessary practical experience to perform certain procedures on patients. Not all dentists are trained in performing all restorative and cosmetic procedures either. Make sure that the practice in question will be able to fulfill your needs, before making an appointment.

TREATMENTS AVAILABLE

Some practices have different dental hygiene, development, and practitioners available. Consider finding one that offers an array of treatments, this will give you a one-stop dental care facility and avoid driving around to different specialists.

If you are interested in getting an Invisalign or teeth whitening, make sure that the practice offers those services. During your search you can consider whether the practice have general dentists, cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics, mouth hygienists, and other restorative dentistry treatments available.

TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT

The medical field is just as quickly changing and adapting as modern technology. To help improve the treatment process and enhance the patient’s experience, dentist offices are investing in the latest technologies. When choosing your family dentist, you should definitely consider whether they are investing money and time into acquiring new equipment.

CAD/CAM machines and dental lasers are only two of the high-quality technology features that simplifies dental procedures. The outcomes won’t necessarily be any different, but having more efficient equipment will quicken the process and allow the dentist to have more patients.

Even though some practices have more dental tools and equipment than others, any licensed and well-equipped dentist’s office should have basic tools to work with. Go through this guide for a brief overview of these kinds of tools.

EMERGENCY CARE

In unforeseen circumstances you might need emergency dental care. Damaged restorations and oral trauma can happen during sudden accidents. In case of such an emergency, you need to know whether your dentistry can provide emergency care.

Consider whether they have flexible after hours and if they offer weekend appointments.

PATIENT CARE AND COMFORT

Trusting someone to drill and scratch around in your mouth, is quite daunting. It’s therefore important that you feel safe and secure in your dentist’s office. Consider the facility itself and whether it provides comfort to you and your family.

Especially if you are scared of the dentist, or you have an anxious child, then you should definitely find a practice that offers different calming methods. Some practices go so far as to offer their patients aromatherapy, calming music, and massages to ease the nerves.

REFERRAL PROCESS

General dentists who practice as a private entity and don’t have other dentists in the same office space, will refer you to another practice. When your general dentist can’t perform certain cosmetic procedures or complex restorative dental work, they will point you towards their colleague who are able to deal with your situation.

There are different types of dentists you can be referred to depending on what type of dental treatment that you need.

To avoid paying for two full appointments or being sent back and forth, it’s important that you make sure of the specifics regarding the referral process.

ASSESSMENTS AND EVALUATION

Because our jaws, bites, and teeth change as we grow older, we’d like to invest in a dentist that are able to assess and evaluate any drastic changes in our choppers. Looking back at a photograph pre-treatment can actually show the drastic changes you and past patients have undergone.

Most dentists keep files and galleries of previous and current patient’s before and after photos. Some of these photos are even showcased on websites or kept in an album at the front desk.

To check the quality of work, you are welcome to browse through all the before and after photos. Especially if you are looking for a cosmetic procedure like porcelain veneers or teeth whitening, then these before and after photos will be very helpful.

COST

Of course, you can’t compromise quality for cost and most high profile and experienced dentists will ask a higher fee. Based on a variety of factors, costs are determined and rather fluctuant from one practice to another.

Do keep in mind the area in which you are looking for as well, as a dentist in the Hamptons might charge much more than one in less popular neighborhood. Get in estimate costing before booking.

During the initial consultation you can ask the practice manager all these questions. You have to keep in mind that you want to build a relationship with one of the dentists at the practice. Making sure that it ticks all your boxes is important to you and your family’s dental hygiene.

The most important thing is that you feel comfortable in the hands of your chosen dental practitioner. When you consider all of the above factors, you’ll definitely find a practice in Pensacola that best suits your needs.