A family dentist is a dental professional that specializes in dental treatment for patients of a wide range of ages. They typically offer diagnostic, preventive, restorative, and cosmetic services, and they are designed to address the long-term dental needs of their patients. This review discusses four advantages family dentists offer their patients.
Family dentists specialize in care for the entire family, focus on prevention rather than restorative care for long-term treatment, offer a kid-friendly environment, and keep a detailed record of your oral health. The following is a closer look at each benefit.
First and foremost, the primary benefit of visiting a family dentist is specialized care for the entire family. From providing regular routine cleaning procedures for adults to filling children's cavities, a family dentist knows how to treat a wide range of oral health and cosmetic concerns.
Family dentists are designed to be your long-term dentist that the entire family visits on a regular basis (typically once every four to six months). The purpose of this is to focus on the prevention of oral health concerns, rather than simply treating issues after they have already developed. This can benefit families in a number of ways. Primarily, a focus on preventive care rather than restorative treatment keeps the costs down for parents and avoids the need for more invasive procedures, which also helps to reduce the risk of dental anxiety for children.
Another key benefit of using a family dentist is that they typically have welcoming environments for children and teenagers. Dentists that almost exclusively treat adult patients are less concerned with how children will feel in the office, whereas family dentists often take more steps to ensure children feel comfortable. For example, they may add more color to the office, ensure the staff understands how to properly communicate with children, and may have a play area for children.
Family dentists document everything they do for their patients. This allows them to access the information on follow-up visits so that they do not have to try and learn all about the patient on every new visit. Consequently, having a family dentist offers much more convenient care, and it reduces the average time per office visit. It can also reduce costs as well by limiting the number of dental x-rays that are required and being able to detect and treat oral health concerns before they worsen and become more challenging and expensive to treat.
The first visit with a family dentist, which is known as a dental consultation, offers a way for the patient, the dentist, and the dental team to get to know one another. The visit typically includes an oral examination, dental x-rays, and a treatment recommendation as well. Restorative treatments are not usually performed on the first visit, although it is not uncommon for the patient to receive less invasive procedures (e.g., a dental filling) if they feel comfortable doing so. Before leaving, the patient can schedule a follow-up visit for restorative care or a check-up visit for themselves or their family member(s).
Family dentistry practices offer a range of dental services. This includes diagnostic procedures such as dental x-rays, oral examinations, and oral cancer screenings. They also offer preventive services as well such as fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and routine dental cleanings. Restorative procedures such as dental fillings, crown restorations, and scaling and root planing are usually available to patients as well.
Many family dentists offer a range of cosmetic procedures also, including but not limited to professional in-office teeth whitening and dental veneers. The long-term focus of dental care with family dentists is to prevent oral health or cosmetic concerns through good oral hygiene practices at home and regular check-up visits every four to six months.
Our family dental practice helps all family members enjoy a clean, healthy, and beautiful smile through diagnostic, preventive, restorative, and cosmetic services. If you are due for your next check-up and cleaning visit or simply want to come in and meet with our team, then contact us today to set up a visit.
Request an appointment here: https://www.missionfamilydentalslo.com or call Mission Family Dental at (805) 205-9278 for an appointment in our San Luis Obispo office.
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