Let’s talk a little bit about how to choose the right dentist for you.
There are some obvious things, like picking a dentist that’s convenient to your house or work, has hours that work with your schedule and perhaps accepts your insurance. Those are easy, but how do you know if you’re going to be treated the way you want and expect?
Well, it comes down to numbers really. What I mean by that is if the dentist is seeing many patients per hour, they’re not going to be able to spend quality time with you to answer your questions, get to know you and really take a long look at your teeth.
I separate dental practices into a few categories, you have the large corporate organizations that are about Production, with a Capital P! They want to see as many people in a day as they can, as they accept every insurance plan under the sun, including many that don’t pay enough to turn the light switch on. Their business model is to counteract the low fees with volume.
The next category is the multi-dentist practice that uses dental assistants to do as much as possible. You get to see the dentist more than the corporate model above but most of your time is spent with the assistant, not the dentist.
Lastly is what would now be considered “old school”, where the dentist does all of your work him/herself, some insurance is accepted but for the most part this is what would now be considered a “concierge” practice.
My practice is the “concierge” practice, I accept most major insurances but I don’t take the HMO level, I simply can’t provide the level of service I want if I do. What I mean by that is I want to have the time to talk to you, get to know you as a person and a friend, as well as have the time to address any concerns or questions that you have. I want you to feel like a valued part of my practice, not my three o’clock appointment.
I’m available for after hours emergencies 24/7, during office hours I make sure I can take care of same day emergencies. In fact, I set aside time everyday for them, you just never know what can happen when.
Ultimately it comes down to priorities, I know I’m not the cheapest office in town (at the same token I’m far from the most expensive!) but I do take the time to make you feel like a part of my family. I hope that the level of service that I provide is worth it!