Most qualified general dentists perform cosmetic
dental procedures. Choosing one with the right education and
experience that compliment your needs and wants is critical
to achieving the most successful outcome. Perhaps you are looking
for someone with a good chairside manner who will explain things
so it is easy to understand, current magazines in the waiting
room, or a sharp dresser. Some may look for the most expensive
dentist, yet others look for the least expensive. Whatever your
criteria, iEnhance has put together a list of doctors that can
give you a head start on your search for the right cosmetic
dentist to meet your needs. After reviewing this section, you
may want to conduct additional independent research.
Unfortunately there is no magic formula for choosing a dentist
that is right for you and/or your family. To some, training,
reputation, and word-of-mouth are preferred criteria for selecting
a dentist. Sometimes speaking to a patient or friend that has
had a similar cosmetic procedure performed can help you feel
more assured of your own decisions. iEhance has a section you
can read personal experiences from patients that have had cosmetic
dental procedure(s) that may be interest to you. Click on "My
Story" to read about their experiences.
iEhance provides you with a cosmetic dentist to help guide you
in choosing a well-trained dentist by location, name, gender
and experience. A list of professional organizations is provided
at the end of this page to assist you in conducting your own
research.
"What are some of the preliminary verifications I should
make prior to scheduling a consultation?"
Verify the education of the dentist. iEnhance is
proud to list dentists on our website who meet our selection
criteria. All of our dentists are State/Regional Board Certified.
Confirm that the dentists earned his/her D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree
from a dental school accredited by the American Dental Association's
Commission on Dental Accreditation, www.ada.org . Each state
has a peer review committee that governs the dentists and handles
any complaints.
Verify participation in continuing education. This
information can be obtained usually from the office manager
or receptionist. Ask for a list of memberships in dental associations,
organizations, academies, societies, and study groups. What
specialized Continuing Eudcation courses has the dentist attended
and/or lectured at. We have listed additional links at the end
of this page that will assist you in verifying the information
provide.
Verify the dentist is licensed to practice in the state
he/she is located. You may verify that the dentist is licensed
to practice in your state by calling your State Dental Society;
the number is listed in the State Government section of your
phone book. Or you may search the website for the American Association
of Dental Examiners, www.aade.org . Click on State Boards then
look up by individual state. On this site you will be able to
verify current licensing, disciplinary actions and citations,
or pending actions if any.
Check past or pending legal actions. The AAED website
will tell you if there has been any disciplinary actions past
or pending but not what the violation was. You can contact the
County Clerk's Office of the county in which the dentist has
practiced or is practicing to verify any court action. Please
be discrete in collecting and using this information.
Alternatively, you may use a Physician Credential Verification
company to conduct the checks for you. iEhance has partnered
with www.SearchPointe.com to assist our users in verifying doctors'
credentials. SearchPointe does not currently have a dental section,
however they are working on one and should be on line by November
1st.
"What questions should I ask during the consultation?"
Once you have done all the research and determined that the
dentist you have in mind is competent and qualified you may
go ahead and make a consultation appointment. Other than the
questions you ask, the most important thing to consider is the
communication between you and the doctor. A give-and-take dialogue
can ensure that you and the doctor have the same vision of what
you want the result to be. Make sure your expectations are realistic
with your specific conditions. iEhance has provided a list of
questions within each procedure's description. Click on "Procedures"
to link to that section. Some additional questions you may want
to consider about any procedure may be:
What does this treatment recommendation mean? Any
part of the treatment your dentist has recommended that
you don't understand, don't be afraid to ask for more information.
Why did you select this profession and what procedures
do you prefer doing the most? If the dentist doesn't
enjoy what he/she is doing, he/she may not do the best job.
But when the dentist loves what they do, they may do more
research and have developed better techniques.
Are other treatment options available? If all the
options solve the problem, what is the cost difference and
which would possibly last the longest?
Among the treatments recommended, which are urgent,
less urgent, elective or cosmetic? Your dentist should
be able to prioritize a treatment plan for you. Often treatment
can be spread out over a period of time, however, understand
the consequences of delaying treatment.
How much will it cost? When and how do you expect payment?
Does the dentist participate in your dental plan? How will
he/she accept payment and when will it be due? iEnhance
provides an avenue for you to arrange financing for your
treatment.
If you have talked to your dentist and are still unsure
about what to do, get a second opinion. Don't ever be
apprehensive to get a second opinion, "two heads are usually
better than one".
CAVEAT: Selecting a State/Regional board-certified
dentist assures you that the doctor has completed extensive
training and passed rigorous examinations in his/her specialty.
However, this does not guarantee that you will obtain the exact
results that you desire. Carefully read about the procedure
in our "Procedures" section,
understand the risks associated with the procedure, talk to
the doctors' past patients who have had the same procedure,
and perhaps obtain a second opinion from another dentist. In
sum, thoroughly research the dentist and procedure before proceeding.
You will be better informed and be able to ask more informed
and pertinent questions. But most important, enjoy your new
smile!
Links to Professional Organizations: http://www.ada.org
- American Dental Association. To verify the dentist's dental
school accreditation, click on "Education", scroll down to "Dental
Education Programs" and procedure before proceeding!
