Have an Appointment With a New Dentist? 5 Tips to Prepare

Keeping up with your annual dentist appointment is an important part of dental health despite the costs involved. Brushing and flossing daily helps prevent gingivitis and tooth decay; however, a dental provider ensures there isn’t something more serious going on. Plus, having a yearly check-up will give you peace of mind that your dental health is in good condition.

If your dentist has moved or is no longer practicing, you may be anxious to see a new provider.

Read on for some steps you can take to make that first visit to your new dentist smooth and stress-free:

1. Do Your Research

Conduct some research before deciding on a dental provider. Checking the reputation of dentists is a great place to start. The best way to know if they are credible is to read reviews from other patients. Things to look out for when reading reviews include: 

• Experiences people have had with them
• Overall patient satisfaction
• General ratings for the office
• Qualifications of the dentist

With a trusted general family dentist or specialist, you can arrive at your appointment feeling confident that they will take good care of you! 

2. Ensure Your New Dentist Accepts Your Insurance

Not all dental providers work with all health insurance companies. Check your coverage before you go; otherwise, you may end up owing a higher copay than you might have anticipated. Checking your coverage can be done online or by calling your health insurance provider. You can also call the dental office before you arrive to your appointment and ask whether they accept your insurance. 

3. Share Dental History With Your New Provider

For the best care possible, make your dentist aware of your dental and medical information. This will make sure your follow-up appointments, diagnoses, and prescriptions are accurate and safe. 

For instance, if you’re on a specific medication, you need to be sure it won’t interact with the medicine your dentist prescribes. An easy solution is to make them aware of any medications that you are on, both prescription and over-the-counter.  

4. Floss and Brush Prior to Your Appointment

Flossing and brushing your teeth should already be a part of your daily routine. However, you want to arrive to your appointment with clean teeth so be sure to brush and floss. At cleaning appointments and check-ups, the technicians will be focusing on removing plaque and calculus, which is easier for them and more effective if food particles are already removed. 

5. Make Your Questions and Concerns Known

It’s normal to have questions and concerns. To make sure they all get answered, write them out on a sheet of paper. Having a list of your questions will help you feel calmer and ensure that all of your concerns are addressed. 

Your new dentist will be able to answer these questions and will make recommendations for future appointments and follow-up procedures, if necessary. If they do recommend that you come back for a specific procedure, you will have an opportunity to talk with them before scheduling. Here you can address any questions or concerns you might have. 

Final Thoughts

Having a new dentist provider can be difficult, but the above steps will make the transition easier. As a recap, be sure to: 

• Research the credibility of your dentist
• Verify they accept your insurance
• Transfer medical and dental records
• Clean your teeth before arriving
• Create a list of questions/concerns that you may have

Following these steps will help your first appointment with a new dentist go smoothly and reduce any anxiety you might have. Best of luck!