When you move to a new city, there are always a few hurdles to overcome. You have to find out where the best pizza delivery and Chinese takeout are. It’s important to know the route to the nearest urgent care center and hospital emergency room, too.
Of course, you also need to find new service providers: a good mechanic, a trusted primary care physician, a stylist who can handle your high-maintenance hair, and a great, patient-centered dentist.
Choosing a dentist in Houston or any major city is basically the same. Need a refresher on how to find a good one? Read on for some tips!
1. Start with Your Insurance
First things first: do you have dental insurance? If so, take a moment to feel grateful for that fact! A lot of Americans aren’t so lucky.
Having an insurance policy that will cover your dental care also helps narrow down the many providers you’ll find in a large city like Houston. Not all dentists will accept your dental insurance, so kick things off by requesting a list of those who do.
Your insurance company may have already sent you this info, but if not, all you have to do is visit its website or give them a call.
2. Ask Around
If you have friends and family members in the area, this step will be a bit easier. But even if you don’t have close associates, don’t despair. You can still find folks to ask about dentists and other professionals.
The coworkers at your new job are usually a good source of information like this. So are your neighbors — and having a concrete question to ask makes it a little easier to knock on their door and introduce yourself.
3. Ask the Internet
In addition, there are loads of places where you can get recommendations online. Start with your own social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. You may have forgotten that you have followers nearby, or maybe someone has a relative in Houston who works at a dental office.
While you are online researching providers, you might want to take a look at sites like NextDoor, Patch, and Front Door Forum. These platforms for neighborly connections and communications can be a valuable source of help for newcomers. You might very well meet some new friends there, too!
4. Visit Review Sites Too
After you have gathered information from these avenues, help narrow down the choices by looking at online reviews. On Angie’s List and Yelp, you’ll be able to read about real clients’ experiences at the dentists whose names you have compiled.
Note that you are not looking for glowing, 5-star reviews across the board. The old maxim “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is” definitely applies in this arena. But there’s good news: it’s not hard to learn how to spot fake reviews.
Instead, say experts, look for a mix of raves and 3- or 4-star reviews. Those that discuss the positives and negatives of a particular service or store are more likely to be trustworthy.
Moreover, you can learn a lot about a provider by the way she responds to reviews, whether good or bad. She should always be professional and respectful, thank people for their generous words, and offer to make things right in the event that a customer vents about a problem.
5. Visit the Dentist Office’s Website
We’re almost ready to go check out a dentist in person, don’t worry! But first, we have one more stop on the ol’ world wide web. That is the dental office’s website itself.
Here, you are looking for a clean, uncluttered interface. Important information — hours, address, telephone numbers, insurance information, and services offered — should be easy to find. If you enjoy using features like online appointment booking, check for those too.
Should the dentist office website look poorly cared for, unprofessional in any way, or dated, it’s OK to keep looking. You might not think that how a health care provider keeps their website is a marker of their skill or expertise. But it does speak to their business sense and their overall conscientiousness. Dental offices that have chat on site, conveys to you that they are techy and this is a great sign.
Not only that, but a website that is neglected or difficult to navigate, or no website at all, can indicate that a practice isn’t doing very well and might even close up shop soon. Steering clear before you get started will save you heartache and hassle in the long run.
6. Visit the Dentist’s Office In Person
If all looks good on the dentist’s website, use that contact form or call them to set up an appointment. Tell them that you’re new in town and looking for a new dental care provider. The receptionist or office manager will likely offer you a complimentary consultation.
During this appointment, you won’t have any work done. You’ll tour the facility, meet the dentist, and possibly talk about what kind of dental needs you have.
7. Don’t Be Shy About Moving On
After the consultation, don’t feel obliged to make an appointment for care if you don’t think the dentist and her office are a good fit for you. It’s important to have confidence and faith in the person who will be taking care of your teeth.
Think of these meetings like dates. Trust your intuition. When you get a good feeling, or when you just seem to “click” with the dentist and other employees, you’ll know that’s the right practice for you!
Want a Dentist In Houston You Can Trust?
Whew — finding a dentist can be a lot of work! If you would rather skip all of these laborious steps and get right to the good part of working with an experienced, compassionate team of dental care providers, call Katy Gentle Dentists — or take a virtual tour of our office!
Here, you will find a dentist in Houston who will meet all of your requirements. Heck, we might even tell you about our favorite pizza place, too!