5-Star Rated Dentist a Disappointment
I’m hoping you can help me. I thought a great way to find a good dentist would be to do an internets search for “Best Dentist in my area” and then check their reviews. Wow. Was I wrong. I went to this dentist who was on the first page after my google search. Then on the review sites he had 5 stars. My experience was completely different. When I went to my appointment, he was insulting about my teeth, telling me all the cosmetic things he could do to give me a pretty smile. This, of course, left me feeling like my smile must be hideous for him to bring all of this up. Then, after I told him that I wasn’t interested in that at the moment, he said, “Well, you should at least get teeth whitening.” Seriously!? I don’t want to go back to him. Is there a better way to find the “best dentist”?
Diana
Dear Diana,
First, let me say that I am sorry this happened to you. This dentist, while he may be a 5-star cosmetic dentist, clearly is missing an empathy chip in his brain somewhere. While those review services, such as Google Reviews or Yelp!, are wonderful for certain services, such as a plumber or a/c technician, when it comes to more nuanced services, they are not as useful.
In the case of a dentist, while patients can rate the dentist, there (currently) is no way to categorize what the rating was for. For example, there could be a lot of 5 star ratings because the clinic does not have a long wait and patients are able to get out and back to work on time. Others might be because he is friendly. Or, maybe it is the staff everyone is raving about.
Another issue is that what constitutes a best dentist depends on your goals. You, for example, had zero interest in cosmetic dental procedures. By the way, I want to say that just because a dentist was suggesting you get porcelain veneers or teeth whitening, it does not mean that there is anything wrong with your smile.
My suggestion would be to list out what you’re looking for. While some might be consumed with cosmetic dentistry, others might be better served by a basic general dentist. For another, it may be super important that the dentist offers sedation options or treats TMJ Disorder.
Once you have the list that is important to you, I’d do a search for dentists in your area. If you had something important to you, such as sedation, then add that to your search. Then go to their website. There should be an “About Dr. X” page. That bio will give you some idea about the dentist and what is important to him or her. If you like what you see, then check out their reviews as an added safety precaution. But, don’t just go by the rating. Look at the rating where people wrote a review explaining what they liked or hated.
I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by compassionate dentists in Lafayette, LA, Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.
