When it comes to maintaining your health, don't forget the importance of regular dental care. According to the American Dental Association, everyone should see their local dentist at least twice a year. If you need to find a dentist for your family, you may be struggling to pick one. When taking care of dental care for your household, here are some things you should look for in a family dentist.

1. Cleanliness

It's important to make sure the dental office you have in question is clean. From the moment you step into the waiting room to you sit in the dental chair, note how clean the area is. Any healthcare facility, including your dentist's office, should be sanitary. You may be able to find photos of the office or exam rooms online to get a quick first impression of the space.

2. Reviews

When looking for a family dentist, good reviews are a must. Is there anyone that you know that has a good family dentist that they love? You can start by getting first-hand reviews and referrals from people in your inner circle. In addition to those personal reviews, you can also go online to read reviews from people you don't know personally. See what other dental patients are saying about customer service, office cleanliness, making appointments on time, range of services, and more.

3. Location

Regardless of how good a potential dentist is, you don't want one that's too inconvenient to get to. Think about how far the dentist is away from your home, job, or your kids' school. After all, you may have some dental emergencies and want to ensure you can get to your family dentist in the shortest time possible. Even with a regular appointment, do you really want to drive an hour or two to get to your dentist if you don't have to? Always check the address to see just how far your dentist is from your home or other locations you may visit before going in for a consultation.

4. Services

There are many reasons to go to the dentist on a regular basis. Your regular biannual appointment will include professional teeth cleaning, X-rays, and checking for problems such as cavities. However, your family dentist may offer even more services than that, such as tooth whitening, implants, inlays, dental bonding, veneers, and more. According to the CDC, over 43% of adults have gum disease. Your local family dentist should be able to help with such treatment if you or someone else in your household is diagnosed with periodontal issues.

5. Insurance

When you go to the dentist, you want to make sure that you can pay for whatever services you need. Do you have dental insurance? Make sure any potential dentist that you're going to will take your insurance so that you don't have to pay for a lot of dental care out of your pocket if you don't have to. But what if you don't have insurance? Do you have access to dental financing by way of Care Credit? Care Credit can be used for both medical and dental out-of-pocket expenses in case you don't have insurance or need help with co-payments and extra services. Before you get excited and make an appointment, check that your potential family dentist can take the type of payment you're likely to make.

6. Experience

How long has your potential family dentist been working in the industry? You may want to ask how much experience they have, especially dealing with different age groups. Do you want your children and elderly parents to have the same space for dental care? It'll make it easier for everyone involved if the dentist that worked there can work with a range of age groups.

Getting the right dental care is important to maintaining a healthy life. Remember digestion starts in the mouth, so you need to keep your teeth healthy and straight. Avoiding issues such as decay or gum disease can also prevent problems with your heart and respiratory system. So, when you're looking for the right family dentistry practice that can help keep you and your family as healthy as possible, this guide can help you make the right choice. Contact Bedminster Family & Cosmetic Dentistry today for a consultation