Hiring a Cosmetic Dentist: How to Choose the Right One

Hiring a Cosmetic Dentist: How to Choose the Right One

What if your dentist could transform your entire look?

A good cosmetic dentist does more than help with cavities and tooth decay. In addition, they change the look of your teeth and help to give your face the ultimate “glow-up.”

However, you can’t get the best cosmetic benefits without the best cosmetic dentist. Keep reading to discover our tips for finding the one that’s perfect for you!

Is It Right for You?

We have prepared a thorough guide on how to choose a cosmetic dentist. However, the first thing you must do is decide whether cosmetic dentistry is even right for you or not.

As the name implies, a “cosmetic” dentist specializes in the appearance of your smile along with your mouth’s general condition. And the way they “fix” the appearance of your teeth takes time, some money, and temporary discomfort on your part. Dr. Eshom and his team do their best to minimize these things. It is generally well worth it but takes effort on your part.

Is This Their Specialty?

If you’re sure that cosmetic dentistry is right for you, then it’s time to find a cosmetic dentist. One important tip is to find someone who actually specializes in cosmetic procedures. Dr. Eshom is a credentialed cosmetic dentist through the largest cosmetic dentistry organization in the world, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD.com.)

Some dentists may advertise the cosmetic features they perform. However, many of them are talking about very basic procedures such as tooth whitening (more on this in a little bit).

What you want is a dentist that has post-graduate training specializing in cosmetic procedures. These dentists, like Dr. Eshom, have taken hours and hours of training specifically cosmetic dentistry for years. It is their passion. Ideally, they are affiliated and credentialed with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

This means they were willing to spend the time and effort to truly master the cosmetic arts, and that’s the kind of dentist you want to hire!

Ask Around

In some ways, finding the best cosmetic dentists is like finding the best specialists in any profession. In short: you need to start asking around!

As long as you’re comfortable talking about it, mention your desire for a cosmetic dentist to your friends, family, and colleagues. Chances are that someone either has had work done or knows a person who has.

You’ll be able to learn about the policies, procedures, and prices of dentists by asking around. And as a bonus, you’ll be able to examine the teeth of those who have had work done.

This lets you determine the quality of the dentist before you commit to an appointment.

Customer Referrals

We discussed the importance of informally asking around about the best cosmetic dentists in town. Once you have narrowed your list down to a few names, it’s important to check their customer referrals.

These usually come in the form of customer testimonials. And there are 2 kinds of testimonials: the official ones and the unofficial ones.

Official testimonials are the ones featured on the dentist’s website. These can be useful, but it’s important to remember that the dentist picks and chooses only the very best testimonials to feature.

Unofficial testimonials are those found in things like Yelp reviews, Google reviews, and social media chatter. These are not filtered by the dentist and allow you to discover additional information. Dr. Eshom and his team have 5 Star reviews in all areas of results, service, and value.

Between the two kinds of testimonials, you can get a better idea of whether you want to hire a particular cosmetic dentist.

Schedule an Interview

Once you have things narrowed down to 1 or 2 dentists you are interested in, we recommend setting up an informal interview.

It’s a common misconception that you must become an official patient and pay for a regular appointment simply to see the dentist. As long as your schedule is relatively flexible, you should be able to schedule a visit to their office and briefly meet with them.

This visit gives you a great chance to explore the atmosphere of the office. Does everything look clean and organized, or is there a cluttered vibe that is turning you off?

Actually meeting with the dentist lets you gauge their personality and chair-side manner. Are they a good listener and receptive to your needs, or are they pushing procedures you don’t really want?

Don’t forget to take this time to ask about the cost of various procedures, determine how much (if any) of the cost will be covered by your insurance and most importantly, how much tooth structure needs to be removed for the procedure the doctor is requesting. Dr. Eshom takes your tooth structure very personally. Your teeth are precious so he often does his cosmetic dentistry without removing or destroying any of your teeth. He is a magician when it comes to saving teeth and getting a great smile.

Check Their Work

While you visit the dentist, there is one thing you absolutely must do: ask to see some of their “before and after” photos. This is absolutely crucial. The dentist’s work must be to your standards. Look good and natural because you will look that good when you are finished. Dr. Eshom has plenty of before/after pictures of his case from one tooth to full mouth makeovers so he is experienced with all forms of cosmetic dentistry and he is proud of his work. Ask to see his smile makeovers!

Most cosmetic dentists keep pictures of patients they have helped before. This lets you verify the quality of the dental work with a single glance.

Pay special attention to photos of patients who have received the same procedures you are considering. This will really help you make up your mind about this dentist.

Explore Different Treatment Options

It’s a simple thing, but you need to make sure your dentist offers a variety of treatment options. We offer at least 2 possibilities for all patients. If we don’t, we explain why you need that specific one to meet your needs. 

In most cases, they will recommend a specific option for you. But they should still tell you about other possibilities.

This can help you find other treatment options that are more in your price range. Moreover, it offers proof that the dentist isn’t simply trying to push the priciest dental procedures on you.

Honesty and transparency are why many turn to Dr. Eshom for second opinions!

The Bottom Line

Now you know how to find the best cosmetic dentist. But do you know there’s a great dentist right in your backyard?

David Eshom specializes in cosmetic dentistry, is credentialed in cosmetic dentistry and has a worldwide reputation for excellence. To see how he and his team can transform your smile, just contact us today!