How to find the right dentist in Harwood
The issue of how to find the right dentist is a subjective one in many ways, as the dentist that feels right for you will depend on your individual needs – or those of your family – and your first impressions. Finding the right dentist also comes down to trust and where you feel comfortable.
Of course, we strongly believe that Harwood Dental Care is the right dental practice for people in Bury and the surrounding areas, but we also appreciate that you’ll probably need to do more research before you can agree and disagree. Before you register with a new dental practice, we’ve put together a handy list of things you might want to consider:
Experience
To work legally in the UK, dental professionals such as dentists, hygienists, dental nurses, dental technicians, orthodontic therapists, etc. must all be registered with and regulated by the General Dental Council. Dental practices should also be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and are inspected by the CQC regularly to ensure that certain standards are being met.
It’s important to find out whether your dentist has the experience and training to offer the treatments you might need. For example, are they an approved Invisalign dentist or can they offer Same-day teeth?
Qualifications
A general dentist must have successfully completed five years of undergraduate training and been awarded a Bachelor of Dental Surgery. A good dentist will continue to devote time and energy to their continuing professional development to keep up-to-date with the latest dental techniques, equipment and treatments. Most dentists have extensive postgraduate qualifications, and many are involved in professional bodies and societies. Any dentist worth their salt will be happy to tell you more about their qualifications and experience and/or will publish information on their website, much like Dr Dipesh Patel’s profile.
Treatments
Although general dentists are all likely to offer similar services aimed at supporting your oral health, such as dental examinations, hygienist services, crowns, bridges and fillings, not all will offer cosmetic dental treatments or may only have a limited provision.
If you have some idea about what dental services you might need now or in the future, naturally this will influence who you choose as the right dentist for your needs.
Practice standards
We believe that every dental practice should be clean, tidy, well organised, friendly and respectful of you as an individual. We also believe that you should be able to expect clear, honest information about your treatment options with transparent pricing so that you can make informed decisions about your care. It’s important that you are able to give feedback, whether positive or negative, without being worried about how your feedback will be received.
Try to find out as much as you can about practice standards – you’ll find this information on practice websites, in CQC reports, and by looking at patient reviews.
Cutting-edge technology
Although new doesn’t automatically mean better, a practice with modern, cutting-edge dental technology is often a sign that the dentists are in touch with what’s happening in their field and committed to utilising new technology and treatment methods when it best serves their patients.
Location, location, location
You might decide to find a practice in Bolton that’s either close to your home or workplace so that you can conveniently attend appointments without adding travel time to either side of your appointment. That being said, we do have patients who are happy to travel miles to come to Harwood Dental Care because they value the individual and caring approach we offer.
Chairside manner
For many patients, a dentist’s chairside manner is the deciding factor about which is the right practice. Ideally, you should feel comfortable attending an appointment with your dentist. They should be willing to give you information, but also take the time to listen to your feelings about your teeth and answer your questions. They should also take the time to talk you through the pros and cons of proposed treatments. If you’re nervous about visiting the dentist, it can make a huge difference to how comfortable you feel about your treatment if you trust and respect your dentist. Children and older patients also respond positively to a dentist who has a calm and reassuring manner, and who can talk to them at the appropriate level.
Flexible appointment times
Another factor when choosing the right dentist is the practice’s opening hours. If you’re able to take time off for a daytime appointment this might not be an issue, but if you have an employer who would prefer you not to leave work for personal appointments, then the flexibility to schedule your check-ups for before or after work could be a deciding factor in where you register.
Recommendations
Whatever the product or service, most of us feel better about the decision to buy something if it comes with a recommendation from someone we know or trust. It’s always a good idea to ask your local friends and family which dentist they see and if they would recommend them. If you don’t know anyone locally, it’s worth having a look at the Google reviews a dental practice has or its Facebook reviews as these are less likely to have been handpicked by the dentist and should show a good balance of opinions about the practice.
For more information about our dentist in Harwood, Bolton, please contact Harwood Dental Care today! Call us on 01204 304568, email info@harwooddentalcare.co.uk or complete our appointment form.
