subject: Some Dental Clinics Have Happier Clients Than Others [print this page] The internet provides a wide base to find a reputable dental clinic that is convenient to your needs. You can use the Google function by searching keywords related to dental care, then compare fees, experience and services offered. Look for a clinic, instead of a single office and small staff operation, which might limit their specialization areas. You can find local dental clinics by typing in city, county and state, to locate clinics nearest your location, since response times for emergency care can be very important. Asking friends, colleagues or relatives is another way to find reputable clinics, often discovering dentists by name and personal recommendation. Make note of any service awards, client testimonials, newspaper write-ups, or informative television advertisements that might showcase the doctors, clinic size, equipment, services and staff.
The quality of dental care is a direct result of the training of the dental staff. Seek out and read the profiles of the dentists and staff, as pertains to their experience, years of training, specialist training and continuing education. Make note of licenses and certificates held by staff members, making sure their courses of study are current and applicable to their area of expertise. Large clinics offer the best choice for one-stop-care provision, since each field of dental care requires practitioners with certain expertise, such as sapphire whitening, crown work, veneers and porcelain application, gum treatment, cosmetic reconstruction, implants, fillings and dentures. You will avoid outsourcing to other specialists if the staff covers all comprehensive areas of dental treatment.
The best dental clinics have the newest and latest high-tech equipment and instruments, with a staff who knows how to operate and maintain them. A simple, personalized tour of a dental clinic facility can alert you to the condition of their operating rooms, which should be well-organized and hygienically sterile. Instruments and equipment should be bright, clean and fully operational. The rooms should be well-lit, properly ventilated and maintained daily via sound janitorial upkeep. You would not want to see cobwebs, dusty or dirty floors, faded paint or sagging wallpaper, or anything that distracts from the esthetic appeal. Operating rooms that display bright and cheery decor lend themselves well to a psychologically positive atmosphere.
Cost and fees should be determined from the onset before any work is prescribed and applied. These arrangements can be made with the secretarial or finance staff, to suit your budget, and this gives you a chance to outlay your financial parameters. The best clinics will accommodate multiple dental plans and will work on an individual case basis. Find out if the dental work is covered by your dental health plan, and that the clinic approves of your plan and covers the care. Find out if the clinic accepts major credit cards or checks, which would provide a more convenient method of payment, if cash is not readily available.
Patients gravitate toward staff personalities that are up-beat, cheerful and positive. The friendliness and responsiveness of the staff is very important, regardless of the diagnoses or operative situation. Dentists and staff members who have a natural ability to promote a relaxed and non-fearful demeanor in their patients will have repeat clientele who trust them and enjoy their company. A warm, friendly staff, equals a happy client.
