Let\u2019s use this\nhypothetical situation: You have not been to a dentist in a while (pick a time\nframe), you are well aware you need some dental work, you were given the\nrecommendation of a dentist by a friend\u2026..and, you decide to visit that dentist\nand four other dentists to compare and make a decision who is the best fit for\nyou. (I realize that most people don\u2019t want to and\/or don\u2019t have the time to\nvisit five dentists\u2026.but play along).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You already\nhave an idea of what you are looking for. It might be the dentist who says you\nneed the least. It might be the dentist who is the cheapest. It might be the\ndentist who is closest to where you live. It might be the dentist who gives you\nthe most options, or maybe the least. It might be the dentist who listens to\nyou the best. Be prepared, because you are likely to hear a few different styles\/opinions\nvisiting five dentists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some practices\nmay feel “clinical and efficient”, while others feel somewhat more home\nspun and laid back. The dentist’s personality and experience are\nreflected in his or her treatment preferences as well. The fact that\ndifferent dentists will suggest different plans to treat your condition does\nnot necessarily mean that one plan is better than another. Have an open\nmind and play an active role in the treatment planning process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is\nimportant to remember that there are numerous ways to treat the same situation,\nand it is always important for the dentist to tailor the treatment plan for\neach patient’s specific circumstances. A major part of those\ncircumstances may be financial, and since different treatment plans can vary a\ngreat deal in cost, it is important for the dentist to discuss costs and\noptions for payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Think of\ntreatment plans like various models of cars offered by different dealers. \nAll of the models are new, have warranties and will work well out of the lot. \nThe higher end models, however, have some advantages not found in the less\nexpensive models. Some options add years to the life of the car. Some add\nto the appearance and enjoyment of driving it. Having said that,\ndentistry is not a commodity. There are many factors that need to be taken into\nconsideration when choosing your provider or the treatment you choose for\nyourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What makes\nsense for you? What are your objectives? Saving a badly damaged tooth\nwith a root\ncanal<\/a> and a crown<\/a> may preserve it for a long time, but what are the circumstances\nof how the tooth got to that point? If you haven\u2019t been to a dentist in\nmany years and have many other dental needs, does it make sense? <\/p>\n\n\n\n We have so\nmany great dental providers in our area. Think about what you are looking for\nin a dental care team Read that list in the second paragraph again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The focus\nshould be on long-term objectives and prevention. If you are a regular\ndentist-goer and have a dentist you like, you\u2019re all set. If you haven\u2019t been\nin a while, consider making the decision to change how you look at your dental\nhealth. Start with finding a place that fits your particular needs, and make\nthe commitment to make routine preventive dental care part of your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. St. Clair maintains\na private dental practice in Rowley and Newburyport dedicated to health-centered\nfamily dentistry. If there are certain topics you would like to see written\nabout or questions you have please email them to him at jpstclair@stclairdmd.com<\/a>.\nYou can view all previously written columns at www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Let\u2019s use this hypothetical situation: You have not been to a dentist in a while (pick a time frame), you are well aware you need some dental work, you were given the recommendation of a dentist by a friend\u2026..and, you decide to visit that dentist and four other dentists to compare and make a decision who is the best fit for you. (I realize that most people don\u2019t want to and\/or don\u2019t have the time […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1128"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1128\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1133,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1128\/revisions\/1133"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}