Helpful Tips for Your Dental Consultation

Albert Einstein famously said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

A consultation with your dentist should be productive, direct and thorough. Be prepared to ask questions and know what to look out for so that you make the most out of your consultation. Be weary that it could turn into a sales pitch, and make it your top priority to leave the consultation feeling fully informed.

A complimentary consultation is often given to patients to answer a few concerns. Please don’t take advantage of our time and go into a consultation with hundreds and hundreds of questions because this requires additional research and data. Be sure to bring your most recent dental X-rays and if your case is severe, bring your CT Scans with you to the consultation.

Here are some helpful questions and/or recommendations to consider before, during and after your appointment.

1. Know your options, including the duration of the treatment and the total cost. Don’t commit to a procedure unless you know what it will cost in advance. I had a patient who went to a dentist for an implant, after spending $2,000 to repair the tooth. As soon as he found out that the total cost of the procedure was $6,000, he stopped going. Had he known in advance what the total cost would be, he would have sought other sources for the procedure.

1. Know what you want. If you seek perfection, a simple procedure may not be the answer. It’s natural to want to try and achieve maximum results with simple treatments. However, this isn’t always possible or what’s best for you.

1. Don’t commit immediately. Don’t commit to a procedure during the consultation. Obtain everything in writing, go home, review it and ask more questions if you need further clarification. I’ve had patients come to me because their dentist refused to give them a second consultation or because they were sent to their assistant instead of dealing with them directly. You need a doctor to answer your questions – in simple, concise language.

1. Get a second opinion. Not only do I encourage my patients to get a second opinion, but I also sometimes demand it to make them feel more comfortable with my suggestion. The second opinion should come for a practitioner at the same level of your doctor. More importantly, don’t base it off what you read on the Internet. You need a doctor, not a fancy website!

1. Too many second opinions may lead to more confusion.

Each case is different and requires a different set of questions, tailored to your specific needs. Write all of your concerns; keep them simple and easy to understand for your doctor. Don’t expect all your questions to be answered within a few minutes. An extensive procedure requires more time and research, and not just a quick consultation.

I’m sure I haven’t covered all the possible questions/concerns you may have about your consultation with a dentist. If you think of any, please feel free to ask me so I can share my response with everyone

I hope you found this helpful…

Patients who are serious about scheduling a consultation with me can visit my website at www.smilepalmbeach.com for more information or contact me at: [email protected].