It makes sense to become acquainted with a family dentist before an emergency arises. Suitable prospects can be identified by asking among friends, acquaintances, and local health professionals. Additional recommendations can be obtained from a local dental society or a dental school if one is located nearby.
A good first step is to schedule a “get acquainted” visit to see whether your personalities and philosophies of health care are a match. Ask about fees and payment plans. Most dentists prefer patients to initiate discussion of fees because patients know more about their own financial situation. Where large fees are involved for major work, it is best to have a written understanding of what fees will be charged and when payment will be due.
Consumers Research offers these questions for judging a dentist’s skills after you have received treatment:
- How does your bite feel?
- Is any of the dental work irritating your gum?
- Does the treated tooth look like a tooth?
- Does dental floss or your tongue catch on the tooth?
- Did the dentist take time to polish your fillings?
- Do you feel pain when drinking hot or cold liquids?
- Was any debris left in your mouth after treatment?
- Does the dentist use a water spray to cool your teeth while drilling? [4]
Be cautious about dentists who recommend elaborate treatment plans. In 1996, a reporter on assignment for the Reader’s Digest visited 50 dentists in 28 states and found that their fees, examinations, and recommendations varied widely. The visits cost from $20 to $141. The reporter brought along his own x-ray films and told the dentists he had ample insurance coverage. Before embarking on the study, the reporter was checked by four dentists who agreed that he had only one immediate problem (one molar needed filling or a crown), and that work on another tooth might be advisable. Only 12 of the dentists agreed with this appraisal, and 15 failed to note a problem with the molar. One dentist recommended crowning all of the reporter’s teeth, at a cost of $13,440. Other estimates ranged from $500 to $29,850. The reporter also visited a dental school clinic where the student and a department chairman independently recommended capping both teeth, which would cost $460 [5].
