The American Dental Association recommends that everyone have a routine dental exam and cleaning every six months, and that can add up to a lot of dental appointments to schedule if you have a spouse and a few kids. Coordinating your family’s schedules with those of several different dentists can be a frazzling experience. Here are a few of the practical benefits of switching to a family dentist.
Simplify Your Schedule
If you have one dentist who treats everyone in your household, it becomes much easier to schedule multiple dental appointments on the same day around the same time slot. This means fewer phone calls, fewer trips to the dentist, and less time and gasoline spent. This can free up resources so your family can spend less time arranging and traveling to dental appointments and spend more time doing things you all love.
One Dentist for All Ages
Family dentists serve patients of all ages. This allows them to begin seeing a patient of the age of four, develop trust and understanding over the years, and continue tending to the same patient well into adulthood. It’s a convenient alternative to shopping around for a good general dentist after your child ages out of their pediatric dental healthcare provider.
It’s Easier to Track your Family’s Dental History
Keeping all your dentistry under one roof eliminates a lot of opportunities for clerical errors. Many children see a pediatric dentist for a few years only to have to switch to a general dentist later on. This can lead to difficulty during the transition because the two practices may not organize information on their patients’ dental histories in the same way, and some aspects can get lost in translation. Seeing a family dentist can help keep your loved ones’ dental histories in order and consistent.
Having your whole household see one dentist can make things much easier for you, your loved ones, and your provider. By establishing a long-term relationship, you can keep your family’s dental visits comfortable and efficient.
About the Author
Dr. Sam Antoon earned his dental doctorate at Southern Illinois University’s School of Dental Medicine and attended a one-year Graduate Practice Residency. He is a proud member of the American Dental Association, the Texas Dental Association, and the Fourth District Dental Society. His office in Plano, TX offers family dentistry as well as restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dental services. For more information on the benefits of having a family dentist, contact his office online or dial (972) 640-6229.