Tag Archives: dental office hygiene
What to Look for in a Dentist
After moving to a new city or suffering from a dental emergency, you may find yourself looking for a dentist that you can trust. The dental provider that you choose can have a significant impact on how comfortable you feel going to the dentist and your results. Here are some things to look for in a dentist near me.
Insurance Acceptance
If you have dental insurance coverage, you’ll want to make sure that any dentist you schedule an appointment with accepts your plan. Some dentists will only work with certain dental insurance plans, while others will bill any plan. It is important to know how a dentist will work with your insurance before your first appointment.
Positive Referrals
It is always a good idea to ask your family members, friends, and coworkers to recommend a dentist to you. Just keep in mind that their experience may vary from yours. Ask them questions about their recommendations, including what procedures the dentist performed and the pain management strategies used. If you are looking for sedation dentistry, for instance, be sure to ask if they had it.
Easy to Access
When choosing a new dentist, you want to choose someone who is easy to access. This includes their physical location and their available appointment times. A Savannah dentist located in a hard to get to part of the city may not be the best one to choose. A high volume of traffic and an inconvenient location could make getting to the office more difficult. If you work or have other commitments, a dentist with early morning, evening, or weekend hours can make it easier to go to the dentist.
Professional Memberships
It is a good idea to choose a dentist that is a member of a professional organization, such as the American Dental Association. There are membership requirements for these types of associations so it can help to screen out unqualified providers. In addition, professional organizations provide continuing education classes so members can keep up with the latest techniques and best practices.
Pain Management Options
Not all dentists offer the same pain management options, such as nitrous oxide or IV dentistry. If you’re looking for a specific option, be sure to check with any new dentist to learn more about their philosophy. You want to select a practice that offers what you’re looking for.
Experience and Specialization
Some dentists specialize in certain procedures, even if they both offer general dentistry. If you have specific dental concerns, such as gum disease or want to consider dental implants, it makes sense to find a dentist that has experience and specialty training performing that specific procedure. This will ensure that you have the best results.
Want to Learn More?
Choosing a new dentist is a big decision. You want to find a highly qualified and experienced dental professional that you’re comfortable with. If you want to schedule an appointment with the best dentist in Savannah, GA, contact Savannah Dental Solutions today at (912) 354-1366.
Understanding Standard Dental Office Hygiene Procedures
Fear of the dentist is incredibly common, even though modern dentistry is nearly pain free. For many people, though, the fear isn’t necessarily of pain, but of the sights, sounds, and smells of a dental office. Others worry about germs. Whichever fear you have, understanding the hygiene procedures that dental offices follow can help. Here is what you should know.
General Precautions
Modern dental offices are clean and well-kept, with sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming taking place frequently. But because it is a medical facility, your dental office goes far beyond these basic cleaning procedures.
Dentists, dental technicians, and hygienists wear gloves whenever they come into contact with a patient’s mouth. This protects them from germs the patient may be carrying, but it also protects you against any germs that might be on their hands. Depending on the procedure you are having, they may also wear disposable face masks and gowns. Just like any other medical professional, this protects them from saliva and blood that could splash around, and it protects you from having your dental professional sneeze or cough in your face.
Spray disinfectants are used liberally, both in the waiting room and in the treatment rooms. This helps to guard against common colds and other easily transmitted illnesses.
Reusable dental tools are required by law to undergo an extensive sterilization process between patients. Increasingly, many dentists are using disposable tools instead. That way, they simply have to open a new pack for each patient. If you ever see someone at your dental office using a package of tools that is already open, ask for an explanation.
Protective Eyewear for Patients
Some dentists now provide protective eyewear for their patients, although this is not yet standard. There are a few reasons for this. One is to protect you from the glare of the light, which must be very bright to properly illuminate the back of your mouth.
In addition, dental tools contacting your teeth and gums can cause fluids to splash. Protective eyewear prevents those fluids from getting into your eyes. Likewise, since your dentist or hygienist is always above you, it is smart to protect your eyes from an errant cough or sneeze, especially if the dental professional is not wearing a mask.
Finally, dental tools tend to be sharp and/or heavy. If one is dropped, protective eyewear can ensure that you do not end up with eye damage.
Protective Eyewear for Dental Workers
Likewise, many dental offices now have employees wear protective eyewear or face shields when treating patients. This protects their eyes from your coughs or sneezes, as well as from being splashed with your blood or saliva.
Dental Dams
Many patients find dental dams uncomfortable, but they are very important. Made from thin latex, the dental dam separates the area that is being worked on from the rest of your mouth. This provides the dentist, tech, or hygienist with a clear view of the working area. It also helps to reduce the amount of fluid exchange with the rest of your mouth, making it easier to contain blood and tooth fragments and to clean you up when your procedure is finished.
Want to Learn More?
If you want to learn more about how we can keep your entire family’s smiles in tip top shape, contact Savannah Dental Solutions today at (912) 354-1366 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
