How To Find A Good Dentist In West Palm Beach Florida

At the risk of being accused of writing biased information, I will discuss several things that I consider important in selecting a dentist in west palm beach to take care of your family.
I grew up with old fashioned ideas so when I started my dental office in West Palm Beach I thought that it would take more than five years for my practice to get busy, and advertising was not considered very ethical, so I did not advertise and I waited for word of mouth to bring patients to my doorstep.
While it is true that asking family and friends to recommend a dentist is a good way to help you select a dentist in West Palm Beach, today you also have local advertisements and tons of information in the internet easily accessible.
You may need a general dentist for your whole family, or maybe you need a particular service such as Orthodontics (Braces, Invisalign), or an implant dentist. Talk to your family and friends and get their input, then do some research. Here is some information that you should look into when selecting your West Palm Beach Dentist:

• Background- What are the dentist's qualifications, license, special training, specialty. Some areas such as implantology are not recognized by the american dental association as a specialty in dentistry, so training or accreditation from reputable institutions are things to look for.



• Experience- When I started my practice thirty years ago I would have disagreed with this, but experience helps. The more experience that the dentist has under his belt, the smoother the treatment is likely to be since experience has taugh him or her what things to avoid.
  
  Ask to view their work- Dentistry is art with a science background. Great artists like to show their work. Before and after pictures of the type of dentistry that you need give you a good idea of the type and quality of the work that this dentist can do for you.



• Accessibility- This is important to me. I hate calling my doctor and having to talk to his nurse instead. Call the office, see if he (she) returns your call personally.



• Patient centered staff- Are they focused on your needs? Do they explain your insurance benefits. Help you get the most without running over? Work around your schedule? Get to know you as a person?



• Time- Does the dentist takes time to talk with you and listen to your concerns or explain your options rather than force you to accept his proposed treatment?



• Technology- The latest would be nice. Dentistry has advanced tremendously in the last ten years. Cad/Cam dentistry, all ceramic crowns, implants, ct scans, lasers, all have found applications in dentistry that benefitthe dental patient tremendously.

Now, you may have some concerns about costs involved and how expensive your treatment could be. I have seen many patients go to a dentist that advertises low prices just to find out that, after the work is done, it was not low priced; long waits, less than optimal treatment and treatment rendered in a rush. 

If money is a problem, I suggest you select a dentist in west palm beach that will give you:

• A recommended treatment plan with your needed treatment and any other alternatives





• Work with you and your insurance to maximize your benefits and minimize your out of pocket expenses.





• Send a predetermination to your insurance for expensive work before committing you to pay for it.





• Treat problems early to reduce costs.  Early treatment prevents major work like root canals and crowns.





• Use and recommend preventive measures to avoid the need for more dental work.

A word about dental insurance: Choosing a dentist in west palm beach because he or she is on the list of providers of an HMO insurance is not the wisest thing to do (see above). If you are able, pick an insurance plan that is a PPO which allows you to pick a dentist even if he (or she) is not on the list.
If you have questions or comments about this writing, you can visit my website's contact information here:

http://www.boudetdds.com

West Palm Beach Dentist
Carlos Boudet, DDS