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!
Leave a reply
I liked that you mentioned a good recommendation can help you with finding a good cosmetic dentist. My husband and I are new in town, and we are looking for advice to find a good cosmetic dentist. I will make sure to ask around and get a couple of cosmetic dentists options ready to visit.
ReplyEllie, I find that asking around is a great rout to go. When we moved there was a community facebook page that we were informed of the pest nearby dentists and it has worked out wonderfully for us. Good luck! eshomdds, Thanks for the excellent tips!
ReplyWhitney, what a fantastic suggestion. Sounds like a community Facebook group would be a great resource to find local recommendations. Thanks for leaving a response and for your advice!
ReplyI liked what you said about choosing the right cosmetic dentist. My brother really wants to get some cosmetic dentistry from a professional. It could be really nice for him to make sure that he gets a professional.
ReplyThank you for your comment, Jenna. Best of luck to your brother in finding the right professional cosmetic dentist. Let us know if we can help with anything!
ReplyIt was really helpful when you said that you should find customer referrals. My sister is wanting to get her teeth whitened. Thank you for the tips on how to find a cosmetic dentist.
ReplyThank you for your kind words, Kate. I’m happy to hear we were of help. Hoping your sister finds a great cosmetic dentist – let us know if we can be of any help!
ReplyThank you for your tip to ask around for a recommendation for a specialist. My family just moved to another state and we need a new general dentist. I’ll be sure to ask around for a great dentist.
ReplyGlad that we could help, Skyler! Recommendations and customer reviews are definitely great ways to get an honest view of a dental office. Best of luck in finding a great general dentist, and let us know if we can help in any way.
ReplyYour advice to set up an interview with your top choices of cosmetic dentists is a good idea. When you visit them, it would probably be a good idea to talk with several of their staff members. This way, you could ensure that you’re comfortable working with all of them so that you can ensure you’ll have an enjoyable time whenever you visit their office for cosmetic dentistry help.
ReplyThank you for bringing up a great point, Erika. The office staff, from the receptionists to the assistants, are all extremely important members of the team. Couldn’t agree with you more.
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