With COVID-19 at the forefront of everyone’s mind, the last thing anyone wants to have to deal with is a dental emergency. That won’t stop one from occurring, though. Thus, it’s a good idea to have a strategy in place for how to respond if one happens. If you aren’t currently working with a dentist, then when an emergency strikes, you have to make a quick decision about who to seek care from. Here are 5 things you should consider in your search.
Is the Dentist Experienced?
The word ‘experience’ is a relative term. After all, a dentist who just started practicing last week, technically, has some experience. Thus, it helps to set a standard for what is a reasonable amount of time a dentist should have been practicing for you to feel secure. After a decade of service, a dentist will have seen and treated a variety of dental emergencies. So when reviewing his or her bio, make sure the dentist meets this criteria.
Are Same-Day and Weekend Appointments Available?
If there’s a universal trait for dental emergencies, it’s that they tend to happen at the absolute worst times. Thus, you need to know that the dentist you’re working with is available for same-day and weekend appointments. This is especially important in such a situation as a knocked-out tooth, when you only have around two hours to have it successfully reinserted.
Is My Dental Insurance In-Network?
Before scheduling an emergency care visit, you should check with the staff member you speak with to make sure your dental insurance is in-network with the dentist. If it isn’t and you’d still like to work with the practice, then you’ll need to find out whether the dentist will accept your insurance. Therefore, you can eliminate one of your stressors.
What Do Other Patients Have to Say About the Dentist?
Most dentists’ websites will have a review button for you to read what other patients have to say about their experience at the practice. Likely, you’ll find several entries where a person was in your shoes: forced to make a last-minute decision to receive care because of a pressing emergency. Find out how they felt about their visit and the care they received.
Does the Dentist Place an Emphasis on Preventive Care?
When you choose a dentist to treat your urgent situation, you should be looking to establish a long-term partnership. Therefore, you can avoid being in a similar situation down the road. In addition to providing the emergent care you need, the dentist you work with should educate you about ways to avoid future problems and maintain excellent oral health. To get an idea about this, take a look at what the dentist says about preventive care (checkups and cleanings) on the practice’s website.
Although most dentists have temporarily placed preventive, cosmetic and certain types of restorative dentistry on hold, you can count on your local emergency dentist to provide the urgent care you need so you can recover and set a new path for your oral health!
About the Author
Dr. Krunal Patel is a graduate of the New York University College of Dentistry. He is available to treat dental emergencies, even during the COVID-19 crisis, at Advanced Smile Design. Dr. Patel can be reached for more information through his website.
