If you’ve recently driven by signs in the Ottawa region advertising dentists accepting new patients, you may wonder what sets one dental practice a part from another. People offer a myriad of reasons as to why they choose—and stick with—the dentist they do. The 9 reasons below are widely agreed upon to be the top reasons cited as to what makes a dentist accepting new patients go from getting initial appointments to becoming a “keeper!”
Location
The more convenient it is to get to your dentist, the more apt you’ll be to make the necessary appointments and go. A neighborhood dentist, when possible, is just easier—and many people also appreciate being able to support community businesses and services, too!
Flexible Hours
No one work day is the same: People look for convenient appointment times not only during the day, but evenings and weekends, early mornings and so on.
Timely Appointments
The timeliness of appointments is also important. When it’s time to book a cleaning, or if there’s a dental concern or emergency, an accessible dentist with the ability to see a patient in a short, suitable timeframe makes for a grateful client who need not look elsewhere!
Accessibility
Being accessible also means being able to have access to a dentist or his or her staff by phone. Questions or concerns should always be able to be addressed, with some dental offices going the extra mile to check in on a patient after a more serious procedure has been performed.
Payment Plans or Direct Billing
Many dentists accepting new patients advertise direct billing to insurance companies, and this is a huge added advantage—if not necessary service—for many families. Professional services can be costly, and having to pay only a small percentage upfront is a sought after service. In the absence of insurance coverage, some patients will look for affordable payment plans offered when choosing a dentist.
Upfront Communication
This one is regularly highlighted as being of utmost importance for people seeking out a dentist accepting new patients! Clear communication—and agreement—about oral health, procedures recommended or needed, and the time and cost to be allocated to any procedure is crucial to building dentist-patient trust. Most people want the decisions about their health—even oral health—in their ballpark, so to speak. Being well, and honestly, informed ensures a good dentist-client relationship for years to come.
Bedside Manner
This one speaks for itself. People struggle with a range of worries and anxieties with regard to dental visits, so a gentle, caring and attentive dentist is worth his or her weight in gold!
Friendly Staff
Piggy-backing on a caring, friendly dentist, is his or her team. From front desk personnel to assistants and hygienists—their own friendliness and apparent ability to work as a team further builds credibility and spreads goodwill.
No Pain
When deciding to stick with a dentist for the long term, it is important for some to know that any pain associated with dental work is well-managed and minimized. Fear of pain is common, and confidence that there are options to mitigate it is essential, again, to the long term dentist-patient relationship.
