Carlsbad Dental Blog

Going to the dentist is never an easy thing for a child. For many people, going to the dentist as an adult isn’t much fun either. No matter how much we know the dentist and their staff is there to help us keep orally fit, people sometimes avoid going to the dentist as often as they should due to worries about pain. Just the idea of letting a person poke around one’s mouth with metal probes is enough to give many adults pause and freak out young children.

The Real Issue is Pain
Dentists are still associated with pain. The cliché image of a dentist who is enjoys almost torturing their hapless clients is deeply ingrained in our media. Sadly the truth is there is a small amount of discomfort which comes with having one’s teeth inspected, cleaned or having dental treatment done. Yet is there truly painless dental care out there? Here are six things to research when looking for a new dentist.

The Office: Lately there has been a increase in ‘Gentle Dental’ offices springing up all around the country. While these sort of franchised dental offices benefit from having access to more money for training and equipment, their business model is just that: a business. Thus they are going to be looking to maximize their profits by getting people in and out.

Personalized Care: Lots of things in life are a lot easier to deal with when you know what is going on and what to expect. A dental office where everything is explained and questions are answered goes a long way towards painless dental care due to less stress. So much of the actual problems in the dental chair is stress of not knowing what is going on.

The People: Having dental professionals who are skilled in interpersonal skills can be just as important to painless dental care than having the most current skills in dentistry. A good, long-term relationship with one’s dentist makes them more like family which keeps stress down and even children are more likely to accept care with less objection.

The Technology: New technologies like digital radiography do away with the painful bite-wing x-rays of the past. New polymer fillings are stronger and are easier to put in makes the visit shorter and less stressful. Knowing if the practice is up-to-date is key to finding painless dental care.

Mission Statement: It is always good to see what a prospective dentist says their purpose is. While it may seem a movie cliché out of the film Doc Hollywood, many dentists are in it to help people and it shows in office, their website and in their comments of their clients if one just takes the time to look.

Internet Search: Be sure to check internet resources and look at sites like the American Dental Association's website. There are many online resources which rate good (and bad) dentists which can really help pin down the dentist who can make painless dental care a very real thing for you and your family.

Photo Credit: LongTrekHome