How To Start?

[daniero]

Not really sure if this is the right place to post this. But for those of you who have made strides and decided to finally seek some help. How did you do it? I see a lot of posts about shopping for dentists and finding the right fit for you, but how do you go about it? I have messaged some and either didn't get a response or got a very like " we can accommodate you, make an appointment." But that doesn't really feel all that comforting. Where do you look? How do you reach out? Any information would be super helpful.
Thank you.

 

[kitkat]

Hi Daniero,
In my experience, many people start out right where you are right now by posting here so welcome! I am sorry that you have not gotten the response from offices that you had hoped for. Some members have asked if they could visit the office and simply chat with the dentist first prior to scheduling an exam appointment and some have had luck with that. Online reviews can be helpful and the forum also has a section where people have recommended their own dentists if you haven‘t had a chance to look at that yet. Some members have said that they have not had much luck with email but have gotten better responses via facebook so you could try connecting through other forms of social media if that’s an option. The first appointment really is the hardest because there are just so many unknowns and unfortunately with the state of things (with covid-19) many offices are still closed or only open for emergencies or just starting to reopen and may be very overwhelmed trying to figure out how to handle this new normal. My best advice is to be patient in your search...try to narrow down a list of potentials and since you haven’t had luck with messaging, when the time is right, maybe reach out via phone call and see what they say. If you get nervous speaking on the phone, you could write out a script to read with some key questions you’d like to ask them. I hope some of these ideas help.

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Hi Daniero,

great question, easier said than done. I invite you to watch my video about searching for a dentist:

Searching the right dentist also includes meeting the dentist face to face. If you don’t have an urgent dental problem, take your time until you find the right dentist.

 

[Enarete]

Hi daniero,

I would just like to add that what you are doing is exactly how it goes: you are shopping for dentists and the practices that either didn't get back or had sent you a reply that you didn't find helpful or comforting, those disqualified themselves. I can only encourage you to keep on looking and getting in touch, explaining about your fears and anxiety and see what comes back until you find a dentist or a practice that you feel gives you enough reassurance and comfort to make the next step.

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Hi Daniero.. Everyone had great advice for you that I can only second! I agree with Enarete if they don't respond or only really shortly that is not reassuring, they have already disqualified themselves. You do want someone who will really take your concerns to heart and respond to them specifically and very reassuringly. They will want to meet your needs both physically and emotionally . To me, when I was looking I found email and Fbing practices less threatening at first so I tried and got some great responses FBing... even dentists responding after hours personally. I actually ended up visiting these dentists to check them out and every one was very kind and interested in helping me with my phobia as well as my dental needs. Here are some examples of what the kind dentists wrote who really cared.

#1."thanks so much for reaching out to us! I know that coming in to see the dentist can be a very scary and nerve wracking experience. My team and I do everything we can to prevent anxiety and make every anxious patient as comfortable as possible while they are under our care. There is absolutely no charge to meet with me before a formal exam, and I would love to discuss all the ways that my team and I can help you restore confidence in your smile. Please give us a call next week (we are closed the remainder of this week) to schedule a time to meet. I admire your bravery for reaching out and I look forward to seeing you! "

#2. " I am definitely willing to meet and chat for 10-15 minutes one day. We could discuss a bit of your dental history and I could show you the office. There would be no charge for that. I have a lot of experience with anxious patients as dental anxiety is very common - you are definitely not alone. We see varying degrees of it everyday in our practice. one of our hygienists, would be the best for someone with anxiety as she has over a decade of dental experience and has a very calming presence. We would love to see you at our practice- we do not judge anyone and just want to provide you with great dental care.
Thank you,

these are just two examples. and they both turned out to be amazing in person and just very focused on me and my needs.. that is really something to look for .. its about you and not them..

I hope you will find a very caring kind dentist.. it is worth it to look for the right one as everyone on here has said. We are glad you are here with us in your journey too!!

 

[daniero]

Thank you all so much for all the feedback, I am definitely going to take all of these suggestions and keep plugging away at my journey. Aso, krlovesherkids777, thank you so much for sharing the responses you got. That is really helpful. It can all be so daunting for so many reasons, the support here is so helpful and I hope to return the favor one day.

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Daniero,

Glad it was helpful. its a huge decision with so many dentists out there and plenty of kind and compassionate ones