Finding the best dentist for your family can be one of the most nerve-racking decisions in life. You want to find someone you can truly trust. Someone kind and compassionate. Someone exceptionally skilled and brilliantly talented. This is your health and your smile we’re talking about. And you deserve THE best dentist… for you and your family.

Do you have dental anxiety? Have you had a bad experience in the past? Are you worried that you’ll be taken advantage of? We’ve all been there, my friend. Being a survivor of surgical trauma myself, I understand the struggle and the fears. And surviving trauma has immensely deepened my compassion for people like us who feel anxiety when choosing the best doctor. 

That’s why I’ve created this cheat sheet for you to help you choose the best dentist for you and your family. Here are the things you should look for in a good dentist.

A good dentist has empathy and compassion.

First, there is nothing more important than empathy and compassion for being a great dentist. With these critical core values, your dentist will always have your best interest at heart.

You should never feel rushed or ignored. Instead, your dentist should show genuine interest in who you are as a person and ask questions to get to know you and your family. Most importantly, they should take the time to listen to your concerns so that they can best help you. 

Your dentist and team should take the time to explain everything to you to feel confident about your treatment plan. They should also take the time to educate you and empower you to have better dental health for the future. 

We use the rule of thumb at Thrive to lead with love and treat our patients like our own family. 

The best dentist is passionate about what they do.

Secondly, a great dentist is passionate about what they do. When they’re passionate about what they do, they do everything with their whole heart. That means we pay attention to the smallest details with you in mind. From the essential oils diffusers we use to lift your spirits to our friendly dental team taking the extra time to make you feel comfy, we are passionate about creating the best dental ex, es you feel welcome and lovingly cared for. We understand that the dentist is not everyone’s favorite place, so we do everything we can to comfort you and any fears you may have.

The best dentist has happy employees.

Thirdly, the happiness of the staff members is a huge tell-tale sign. When our team is aligned with and guided by a strong foundation of core values and a clear mission, we create a powerful impact on our patients’ lives. 

When all our team members are valued and treated with kindness and respect, they will treat you, the patient, with the same kindness and respect. So you’ll be able to feel it and be blessed by it. And if our team feels valued, you will feel that too. 

Something we’re very proud of at Thrive is how we invest in each team member and strive to provide opportunities to grow and succeed. We encourage each member to be a leader, to reach their own personal and career goals, and to foster the unique gifts that we see in each of them. 

The best dentist is conservative and educates their patients to promote preventative care.

An excellent dentist is conservative in treatment (not pushy or aggressive) and cares about helping their patients have better long-term health, emphasizing preventative care and patient education. Your dentist should take the time to listen to your needs and empower you and your family for long-term dental health. Our goal at Thrive is to help you thrive and avoid expensive dental problems with early detection and preventative dental care. We want to see you every six months for your check-up and cleaning, not only when you’re in pain. 

Follow your heart

Lastly, not every dentist is a good fit for every patient, just as not every patient is a good fit for every office. So follow your intuition and trust your heart when you feel seen and heard, and cared for.

In conclusion

In summary, when searching for the best dentist for your family, make sure your dentist possesses the following characteristics. First, your dentist should be compassionate and passionate about providing the best dental experience for you. Second, your dentist should be conservative and emphasize preventative dental care. Third, they should take the time to listen to, educate, and empower you for long-term dental success. Fourth, the staff should be happy and treated well. And the environment should be positive and welcoming. Lastly, follow your heart because it never lies.

Not only are our superb dentists trained from the most prestigious schools, but they are also the kindest people you will ever meet. So you can rest assured you and your family are in excellent and capable hands.

Book now to meet our friendly Thrive team! We can’t wait to serve you with our whole hearts!

by Dr. Christine Coughlin DDS