Finding a Family Dentist in Your Area

Finding the right dental home for your family is an important part of supporting the oral health of all members. The right family dentist can provide such a home and help you facilitate getting your loved ones the care they need. Follow this helpful guide to finding a family dentist near you.

What to look for in a family dentist

A family dentist has the same education and training as a general dentist. However, family dentists are usually kid-friendly and skilled in treating people of all ages rather than just adults. People typically look for these key things:

• An office close to home, work, or school
• Family-oriented atmosphere
• Professional and friendly staff
• Some night and weekend availability

In addition, it is important for a dentist to offer a wide array of preventive and therapeutic services.

Finding a family dentist in the digital age

The internet makes finding a local dentist that fits one’s needs easier than it once was. Here are three ways to use the internet to help facilitate this process:

Search by location

Locating dentists near one’s home or frequented areas is a good way to start. Type “family dentist near me” or “find a family dentist near (insert location here)” into the search bar for a list of local options. Review sites like Yahoo or Google My Business can also provide location-based results. Additionally, the American Dental Association (ADA) has a search-by-location tool.

Read reviews

Yahoo and Google My Business provide another crucial type of information. These review sites post feedback from actual patients that one can sort by review date and star rating. In addition, specific health and dental care review sites focus on professionals in those industries. Be sure to check out how a dentist fares on more than one review site.

Look for mostly good reviews, but the occasional bad review is expected. When there is an unfavorable review, take into account how the practice responds. It is a good sign if they are professional and try to make the situation right. Also, look for whether several patients make similar comments, as this can let you know what to expect. For example, if several patients mention the practice is quick to return calls, they will likely be responsive to you as well.

Visit dentists’ websites

Patients can usually find a comprehensive overview of a practice and dentist on the dentist’s website. Most dentists will provide a bio, as well as details about how long they have been practicing and their qualifications and memberships. Patients should review their listed services to make sure they can provide for the needs of all family members. There should also be a way to contact the office by phone or email for additional questions.