Finding a Raleigh Dentist – How Do You Choose?
With more than 250 general dentists in Raleigh, how do you begin to choose a Raleigh dentist who will be right for you and right for your family? Here are some ideas on how you can narrow the field.
What Type of Services Do You Need?
You may be surprised in some ways to learn that not every Raleigh dentist classified as a general dentist offers the same set of services. The level and types of service may vary by choice or based on experience and training. For example, some practices (pediatric dentists) only treat children by choice. That’s a distinction that is easy to understand.
Other distinctions aren’t quite so obvious. Some general dentists have invested time and money in developing expertise in dental services that you might otherwise need to find a specialty dentist to handle. These Raleigh dentists may describe their services as comprehensive dentistry, although that term itself is relatively new and is not a term that necessarily means the same thing from one Raleigh dentist’s practice to the next. One Raleigh dentist offers this definition of the comprehensive dentistry services his practice provides. Another Raleigh dentist may offer a narrower set of services, but still call it comprehensive dentistry. The reason for choosing a comprehensive dentist in Raleigh is for the convenience of receiving most, if not all, services at the same location. In addition, there can be an added advantage to receiving services from a dentist who is familiar with your complete dental history, goals, and concerns.
Cosmetic dentistry and implant dentistry are two other types of services that you may want to consider in choosing your Raleigh dentist.
What Professional Affiliations and Qualifications Does the Dentist Have?
Choosing a dentist who stays in touch with new developments in the field of dentistry through professional affiliations can offer some assurance that you’re receiving the best dental care. On the national level, look for the dentist’s affiliation with the American Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentists, the National Society of Dental Practitioners, and the American Association of Public Health Dentistry. For a Raleigh dentist, also consider membership in the North Carolina Dental Society and the Wake County Dental Society. The NC Dental Society is the professional affiliation for the state, while the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners (sometimes called the NC Dental Board) is the actual regulatory body which administers state-specific dental regulations. (Dental practice is regulated at the state, not national, level.)
If you’re looking for a Raleigh dentist who can provide sedation dentistry, you can contact the NC Dental Board to find out whether the dentist is accredited to perform that service. Sedation dentistry has grown in popularity, and the NC Dental Board recently took action to ensure that dentists have the right training, experience, and equipment to safely provide the service. Sedation dentistry is helping people who have long let dread and anxiety interfere with much needed dental care and treatment. However, there are a limited number of Raleigh dentists currently certified by the state to perform this service.
Lastly, but quite importantly, you may want to understand both where the Raleigh dentist received his training and the extent of the training. When you are choosing a dentist who provides comprehensive dentistry services, this evaluation can be quite important. Be sure to ask the Raleigh dentist to provide specifics about his or her training if the information is not readily available online or in literature. It may also be helpful for you to know that a Raleigh dentist who is a graduate of the UNC-Chapel Hill Dental School is a graduate of one of the most highly acclaimed dental schools in the nation.
What Type of Insurance Arrangements Are Available?
If you have dental insurance, you may want to consider how the Raleigh dentist you choose will handle your insurance claims. Will the practice file the claim for you? If so, does the Raleigh dentist require you to pay the practice up front and then be reimbursed later by the insurance company? Does the practice offer flexible financial options for paying any remaining balance you might owe after the insurance company pays? These are questions that many consumers don’t think to ask before choosing a Raleigh dentist!
[More information related to choosing a dentist anywhere in the U.S. is available from the American Dental Association at http://www.ada.org/public/topics/tips.asp]
