You’ve done your research and you’ve decided to see a new dentist. Great! With all of the options available to you, it’s probably a relief to feel like you’ve finally made the best choice for your dental health needs. You may think that your job is done; however, there is value in asking a few key questions when you get to your new dentist. Because the professional relationship between dentist and patient can take a while to develop, here are three questions to ask your new dentist to ensure that you get off on the right foot. These questions can be asked verbally once you’re in the office, or you can try to get these answers via email or phone before hand.

Question #1:  How long have you been practicing dentistry?

This question does a few things for the dentist/patient relationship. Firstly, it establishes an understanding that you care about who treats your teeth, and you’re not going to trust your oral health to just anyone. Secondly, it gives you confidence that the person you’re choosing for expert oral health guidance has some legitimacy to his or her career, and that they have an operational foundation on which to base important decisions regarding your treatment options.

Question #2:  Where did you go to get your DDS/DMD?

The DDS designation stands for Doctor of Dental Surgery, and the DMD designation stands for Doctor of Dental Medicine. In the United States, these two degrees are essentially the same, and they should be treated as such. Do not under any circumstances agree to have dentistry services performed by someone who does not have the requisite degrees and/or qualifications. Also, most US states have a registry of licensed dentists that can be checked against the search results of the dentists you find in your area.

Question #3:  How much of your services do you refer to specialists?

Sometimes dental offices can specialize in very specific treatments meant for specific demographics or conditions. An example of this would be pediatric dentistry, where older patients are generally not serviced. Also, many dental offices will refer patients to third parties for advanced dental procedures like implants or reconstructions. Know where your dentist services end and another specialist’s service begin. By asking your new dentist these three questions, you are doing your part to make sure that the dentist is a right fit for you and your family. If you have yet more questions that come up as a result of having these conversations with your new dentist, you should feel at ease in asking them as a follow-up.