There are a lot of reasons you might be looking for a new dentist. For example, you may have recently moved into a new neighborhood, or you might be looking to upgrade to a dental office that can better serve your needs. Regardless of what your reason is, finding a dentist can be more difficult than you think. That’s why we’ve put together this article filled with tips to help you get the best oral care you can.
Word of mouth referrals
Getting dentist recommendations from your family, friends or someone you trust is probably the best and easiest way to find your new dentist. Not only will you not have to research a dentist for yourself, but you can get insider info about how the clinic operates. The people that are close in your life will likely also have a good idea of if you and the dentist could be a good fit.
Use online resources
Opting to use a search engine like Google to find dentist offices located near your area is our second favorite way to find the perfect clinic. It’s easy to create a long list of places (provided your area has them) and you can do it from pretty much anywhere. You can even do some extra research by looking at the dental clinic websites and reading online reviews to see if a certain clinic might be right for you.
Finding a local dentist on the way
Another great way to find a dentist near you is also one of the easiest – just keep your eyes open. That means each time you’re out and about, keep a lookout for dental clinics that you pass on the way. If you see one, you can either just make a note of the location or you could choose to take a look right away. It’s a quick way to add offices to your list without any extra effort.
Reach out to the Ontario Dental Association
The Ontario Dental Association has a find a dentist service that will give you a list of dentists in your area based on your postal code. You can be sure that you’ll only receive licensed and reputable professionals in the list as well. The link above is for Ontario, but most provinces and states will have their own version of this listing service.
Things to look for in a new dentist
There’s likely a lot of dental clinics around that you could choose but let’s be honest, not every dentist is the same. There are the easy differences like family friendly versus not, but some things aren’t so easy to spot. That’s why it’s always important to know what you’re looking for and research any new clinic before choosing. That should always include a face-to-face interview and consultation, so you know if you’re a good match.
So, once you’ve created a list of clinics in your area, it’s recommended that you do some online research (visit websites, look for reviews, etc.) and then book consultation appointments. These are usually free of charge and will be the best way to get an accurate picture of how the clinic in question operates.
When you visit, pay attention to things like parking options, public transit access, cleanliness of waiting area and clinic, friendliness of staff and of course the quality of service you receive from the dentist and their support staff.
All that being said, if you did end up not liking a new dentist, there’s nothing stopping you from starting your search again and choosing a new clinic. If you’re looking for a dentist in Burlington, ON – click here for a great starting point.
Happy dental clinic hunting and great oral health to you and your family.