People change dentists for many reasons. Perhaps you’re dissatisfied with your current practice, the services have become too expensive, or you have recently moved to a new city and need to find a dentist near you.
If you’re contemplating changing dentists, chances are it’s time to finally make the switch. Once you get to your new dental office, you just may discover that you’ve missed out on many other benefits that your current dentist never provided.
Here are the top reasons to change dentists this year.
1. You Moved and Need a New Dentist Near You
One of the most common reasons to change dentists is moving to a new city or state. It’s easy to overlook this in all the chaos of moving, but many dentists, especially in big cities like Los Angeles, may have waiting lists or will not have availability for your first appointment for several months. Look for a dentist near you that is taking new patients and is close enough for you to easily attend your cleanings and exams every six months. Neighbors and friends in your new home’s location may be able to point you in the direction of a dental office where they have had a good experience.
2. Your Current Dentist’s Service Has Declined
Maybe you have not moved recently, but you have been increasingly unhappy with your current provider’s services.
Perhaps you no longer like your current dentist’s level of customer service or technique, or you had a bad experience that diminished your trust in the office staff. Helping you feel secure and well cared for is the least that your dentist should do for you as a healthcare provider; there’s no legitimate excuse for inferior dental service. Your dentist should treat your health as a top priority by adhering to the standards of the American Dental Association.
In addition, your dentist should not try to discourage you from seeking dental specialists and receiving treatments from them if necessary. If you feel that your current dentist does not have your best interests in mind, this is a major reason to change dentists.
3. Insurance Coverage Changes
Maybe your dentist provides excellent care, but you simply cannot afford their service anymore. This usually happens due to a change in your insurance coverage. Another reason to look for a new dentist near you is if your dental office cannot accept your insurance plan any longer—either because their office policy changed or you took a new job with a different insurance plan.
Double-check with your insurance coverage provider to see which new dentists near you are in your provider’s network. This will help you to maximize all that your plan has to offer when pursuing dental examinations and treatments.
4. Changes with Your Children
Maybe years ago you found a great pediatric dentist near you, but now your children are older and need a new provider. Conversely, maybe you had a dental provider as a single adult, but now that you have children, you need an office that provides child dentistry. Children and adults have different medical needs, and a new family dynamic is certainly a reason to consider
5. Scheduling Dental Appointments
Sometimes switching providers is just a matter of practicality. Consider pursuing a new dentist if your current dental office makes it too hard to schedule an appointment.
Maybe the office’s hours do not accommodate your work schedule, or maybe an overfilled list of patients creates long wait times to secure a patient appointment. If you cannot schedule check-ups, you will end up neglecting your oral health.
6. Staff Changes
Another top reason to change dentists is personnel changes in your dental provider’s office. Maybe the previous lead dentist recently sold the practice, or new staff has created an unpleasant atmosphere for patients, or perhaps your office is having trouble with retaining employees or is trying to replace a number of staff members and fails to provide a clear reason for doing so. In this situation, moving on to a more stable office may be the best option for you.
7. Pricing Changes
If your dentist has instituted a hefty increase in prices due to the increased costs of equipment and materials. It might be time to search for a new dentist near you.
Dentists have no choice but to boost prices if the cost of doing business rises. However, these changes should ideally be implemented with their patients in mind. This means the price hikes shouldn’t take place all at once, and your dentist should also inform you of them in advance. If this is a consistent problem with your dentist, do some research to find out what other dental offices charge for similar treatments.
8. Medical Awareness
Finally, one of the biggest reasons to change dentists is that your dentist does not refer to your previous medical history prior to starting treatment. Dentists who are not aware of your medical history are likely to provide you with ineffective treatments. So, if your dentist doesn’t consider your health record when providing dental care to you, go to another dentist who will.
Find a New Dentist Near You with Alondra Dental Care
At Alondra Dental Care, we take pride in offering grade-A dental treatments for our patients. We stand out for our care and commitment, our advanced technology, and our affordability (we accept any PPO insurance plan). We also offer extended office hours on select days to ensure that you’ll always have easy access to our office.
Looking for a new dentist near you in Los Angeles? Request an appointment today!
