Selecting your orthodontist is a long-term commitment. Whether you’re doing it for yourself or for your child, you want to make sure you pick the best orthodontist there is.
Yet, this can become challenging, especially as more and more orthodontists pop up in your local area.
How can you know which will provide you with the most high-quality care? Is there a way to ensure that the orthodontist you choose will treat you the way they claim they will?
Keep reading to learn the answer to these questions and many more.
Experience and Education
The first thing you should look for when seeking orthodontic treatment is experience and education. While you may assume every orthodontist is properly certified, this may not always be the case.
Ideally, you want an orthodontist that has been in practice for more than five years, though this doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t work with a newly established practice. Not all experienced orthodontists are right to treat you.
If you’ve found an orthodontist you think you may like, inquire about their education and experience. They should be able to share with you success stories similar to your dental case.
If they can’t, it’s wise to research other orthodontists in your area.
Convenience and Location
As you’re searching for a local orthodontist, you want to make sure the location and hours are convenient to you. Unlike the dental industry, which requires two visits a year, orthodontic care often requires visits every few weeks.
Make sure the location you choose is close to your work or home, so you don’t have to go out of your way to get there constantly.
You also want to look into the evening and weekend hours the office provides. You don’t want to choose a place only to find out that all of their open hours conflict with your work schedule.
Consultation Availability
Getting a consultation is essential, especially when you’re vetting different orthodontists. However, not all orthodontists offer consultations, and some only offer them with a hefty fee.
Try to find those that offer free or low-cost consultations, so you can discover if the treatments will be worth your time and money.
This will also allow you to gauge the orthodontist and how they treat you initially, which will help you decide if they are suitable for you or not.
Office Environment
Noting the office environment can tell you everything you need to know about your orthodontist. Look around and see if the office is clean, if the instruments are well taken care of, and if the waiting room seems full or overbooked.
All of these can tell you if these medical professionals take their job seriously or not. You’ll also know what to expect for your future visits.
You also want to interact with the office staff to see how they treat you, if they’re friendly and helpful, and how well they communicate.
This is especially important when seeking family orthodontic care, as you want you and your children to feel at ease. A family orthodontist should know how to work with kids, and you should feel comfortable knowing they will be treated with kindness.
Types of Treatments
Depending on what orthodontic treatment you need to have done, you want to ensure that your orthodontist provides that service.
For instance, before getting certain treatments done, you may need to get your wisdom teeth removed. However, not all orthodontists provide this service.
If you have specific types of dental braces in mind, such as Invisalign or ceramic braces, it’s essential that you discuss this with your orthodontist during your consultation before becoming a patient.
While your orthodontist may check all of your other boxes, if they don’t offer the orthodontist procedure that you need to have done, your decision will be made for you.
Cost of Treatments
The cost of your treatments is a huge factor when choosing a local orthodontist. If you have insurance, check with the office to see if they accept it.
If you don’t have insurance, look for an orthodontist who offers financing or payment plans. This can help make your treatments more affordable, though not all offices offer this service.
There are also various orthodontists who offer deals and discounts on orthodontic services, which can lower the price even more. Do your research, and you may end up saving yourself money.
Reputation
The best way to ensure that you’ll get the best service possible is by listening to other patients that have been treated by the orthodontist you’re looking into.
If you look at online reviews, make sure to look at other places besides the orthodontist’s website. These reviews are very easy to edit or fake, and you want to make sure the information you’re getting is genuine.
Browsing through reviews on Google and Yelp is a great way to get an overview of customer satisfaction.
If you can contact past clients, consider reaching out to get their true and honest opinion of their experience. Getting multiple opinions is the most ideal for making a well-rounded decision.
You can also search to see if your orthodontist has won any prestigious awards or ratings by well-established companies. If the answer is yes, they likely offer high-quality care.
Use This Guide to Find the Best Orthodontist
Finding the best orthodontist may seem like an overwhelming process at first, but it doesn’t have to be. Use the guide above, do in-depth research, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
You and your family will be getting the orthodontic care you need in no time.
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