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Schedule AnWhen it comes to choosing a new dentist, a lot of factors can come into play. The first is generally location. No one wants to visit a dentist over an hour away or is challenging to get to. Patients seeking special services may be more selective, seeking out dentists that offer more than typical cleanings and procedures. However, few forget to consider one important distinction: whether the dentist's office is a local family private practice or a corporate dentistry practice.
In this article, we'll dive into the benefits of visiting your local dentist's office and provide further insight into why these private practices can be an excellent fit for you and your family.
Over the last several years, there's been an uptick in corporate dentistry practices. These organizations have multiple offices and a large team of employees. Private practices, on the other hand, operate out of one location with a smaller team. Corporate dentists tend to focus on attracting new patients over retaining current ones, whereas local family dentists prioritize personalized care and building relationships with their patients over time.
As far as the services they provide, both local dentists and corporate dentists offer similar services. However, it's more common for private practices to provide specialty services, such as dental cosmetic procedures, emergency visits, orthodontics, and pediatric care. Similarly, you may have an easier time requesting specific accommodations with a family dentist vs. a corporate dentist. With a team that focuses on retaining relationships, there's a better chance that you'll feel more seen, heard, and understood at your local dentist.
While there is a lot of overlap in what local dentists and corporate dentists can provide, there are several significant benefits that only come with choosing a private practice, including:
Going to the dentist for many can be stressful. Whether it's due to dental anxiety or the fear of a particular procedure, compassionate, private practices make an effort to understand their patients' fears and overall goals. This helps to create a comprehensive personalized care program for both patient and dentist. Personalized care also helps to ease dental anxiety over time, as your dentist will learn what works for you and how to put any concerns at ease.
While corporate dentist offices may pop up all over, local dentists can be found in just about every city and small town. In addition to that, local dentists will provide convenient scheduling, as they often have more flexible hours and availability when compared to corporate offices, such as weekend availability, early or late appointments, as well as emergency care.
Although private practices are smaller, that doesn't mean their equipment is outdated. In fact, local family dentists are committed to investing in their patients, which extends to investing in the latest dental technology. By choosing your local dentist, you're likely gaining access to newer equipment that can better diagnose and treat dental issues.
Not having to fill out your family health history over and over again is certainly a perk of choosing a local dentist. Your dentist will get to know you and your family through numerous visits instead of visiting with a new person every time. While this may be similar with some corporate dentists, there can be a higher turnover rate and new processes introduced, resulting in you having to restate your health history over and over again.
For adults and children, being able to trust your care provider is essential. That's no different with oral care. Working with your local dentist means you'll get to know them over time, including the entire team. Because private practices operate like family-run businesses, they want to earn your trust. From the receptionist to the dental assistants to your primary dentist, you'll have the opportunity to get to know them on a personal and professional level.
Local dentist offices like Midlothian Family Dentistry take patient comfort to the next level. In addition to our sedation dentistry options, which can help alleviate dental fears and anxiety, we work hard to create a comforting environment from the time you walk into our office. We also provide patients with additional comforts, such as pillows, blankets, dim lighting, and more, to ensure you feel at ease throughout your entire appointment.
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