How to Find the Best Dentist Near You

Tips on Finding the Best Local Dentist for You and Your Family

Like discovering your favorite local yoga studio or gym, finding the best dentist near you can help you elevate your physical health, self-confidence, and overall well-being. A local dentist that fits your routine and needs is the link that helps you achieve the cosmetic and restorative dentistry results you seek while helping you maintain a solid foundation of healthy gums and teeth.

So as you get ready to Google “best dentist near me,” here are some practical tips on how to choose a nearby dentist that best fits your schedule, expectations, and the results you seek.

Make general preventive care easy.

Whether you’re seeking a cosmetic procedure or just want to keep your teeth clean, twice-annual dental visits are the foundation you need for a healthy, beautiful smile.

You’re most likely to stay on top of your preventive game if you choose a local dentist office that offers convenient hours near your home or job and makes scheduling easy through online appointment requests.

Look for a practice that offers the full scope of the general preventive care you need to keep your mouth pain-free and healthy, so you don’t have to bounce from one office to another to get the services you’re looking for.

Consider your schedule and dental situation as you ask yourself the following questions:

• Appointment Times: Does this dentist offer appointment times that fit into my and my family’s schedule?
• Location: Is this dental practice conveniently located near my home, school, or workplace?
• Solutions: Does this dentist offer solutions to treat global oral health complaints, such as bruxism (teeth grinding or clenching), periodontal (gum) disease, TMJ dysfunction, or snoring?

Expect more than a teeth cleaning.

Though the regular exams and cleanings that define preventive care are essential for your smile’s health and beauty, you can consider them as just the beginning of your general dentist’s offerings. Though all general dentists offer the same foundational preventive services, the scope of restorative and cosmetic dental care often varies from practice to practice. As you look for the best local dentist office near you, consider the restorative and cosmetic dental care you want and need for your smile to look and feel radiant and complete.

Restorative Dentistry

Having a tooth that’s missing, damaged, or decayed can hijack your self-confidence and make it difficult for you to speak, chew your food, and normally go about your day. The good news is the right restorative dental treatment can help you simultaneously reclaim lost function, eliminate pain, and restore your smile’s fullness and beauty.

Consider your current dental situation and oral health needs as you ask yourself the following:

• Tooth Repair: Does this dentist offer comprehensive options to repair cracked, broken, and decayed teeth, such as crowns, inlays and onlays, or root canal therapy?
• Tooth Replacement: Does this dentist offer comprehensive options for replacing missing teeth, such as bridges or dental implants?

Cosmetic Dentistry

Since your teeth take center stage when you smile or speak, feeling less than confident about your smile’s appearance can trigger social anxiety, dampen your self-esteem, or interrupt your pursuit of professional, personal, or romantic opportunities.

Finding a local dentist who can skillfully correct cosmetic imperfections and enhance your smile’s beauty can go a long way in elevating your self-confidence and well-being. With their extensive medical training in craniofacial anatomy, some general dentists even offer botox treatments right in their dental office.

Consider the improvements you’d like to make to the appearance of your smile and skin and ask yourself the following:

• Whitening: Does this dentist offer options for lightening stains and increasing radiance?
• Smile Makeovers: Does this dentist offer options to make over your smile’s overall appearance, such as Invisalign, gum lifts, or porcelain veneers?
• Botox: Does this dentist offer lip augmentation or wrinkle reduction with botox?

Prepare for dental emergencies.

Teeth may be relatively small when compared to the rest of your body, but the pain and stress they can cause in a dental emergency is often significant. One of the best ways to minimize the suffering that comes from a dental mishap is to have an emergency dentist who offers same-day appointments for those unexpected urgent needs. Alongside reducing the stress of tooth damage or pain, getting the emergency dental care you need as soon as possible can also help save your tooth and prevent further complications. To best prepare you and your family for an unexpected dental emergency, investigate the following:

• Emergency Dentist: Does this dentist offer same-day appointments for dental emergencies?

Afford your care.

Knowing how your local dentist office can help you afford your dental care can help you plan for your treatment with total transparency. To eliminate financial ambiguity, always ask the following:

• Insurance: Will this dentist work with my insurance?
• Financing: Does this dentist offer financing options, such as CareCredit?

Seek out holistic dental care.

Your oral health affects your overall health and vice versa (known as the mouth-body connection). An oral health condition, such as periodontal (gum) disease, can have a negative impact on the health of your body. Likewise, if you have a health condition, such as heart disease or diabetes, you may have symptoms or complications in your mouth.

The right general dentist will demonstrate their investment in helping you achieve the best of both worlds through comprehensive exams and screenings, such as bone and tissue exams and oral cancer screenings. When looking for a dentist that values holistic dental care, look for the following:

• Mouth-Body Connection: Does this dentist consider the mouth-body connection during comprehensive exams and screenings?

Like a good session at the yoga studio or gym, every visit to a local dentist that offers what you want and need can boost your physical health and mental well-being. On your quest to find the “best dentist near me,” remember to tap into your smile goals, ask questions, and know that you can always expect the best from your dental experience.

For a patient-centered and comprehensive dental experience in South Tampa, FL, contact OneSource Dental to schedule your appointment today.