New Year, New Dentist? What To Do When Looking For A New Dentist

The new year is always a good time to reflect on your goals for the next year and to come up with action steps to achieve these goals. Our first morning back to work, we had three new patients call to reserve appointment times in our Sunnyvale office! I am honored that they chose to come to our office and hope to show these patients exactly why our patients in Sunnyvale keep trusting us with their dental care.

Two of the most common questions new patients have for us are: How do I schedule a new patient exam? What do I need to do to prepare for my first visit with you? If you've been considering visiting a new dentist but aren't sure which steps to take, I hope this blog can help you out!

1. Think about what you want in a dentist and dental team.

I tell all my friends and family, and even our Sunnyvale patients, to research the dentists that they'd like to visit. Check out the dentist's website (and social media), read their bios, check out their patient testimonials, and click around their website to see if you'd feel comfortable in their office. If you're here, hopefully you find that our values and personalities are similarly aligned to yours.

2. Schedule your appointment.

Similar to how we're told that changing into gym clothes helps motivate you to work out, scheduling an appointment is the first step to improving your oral health. We offer our patients the convenience of scheduling their appointments online. You can view our schedule in real-time and compare it to yours to see which appointment times work best for you.

Tip: if you schedule online, remember to check your email and confirm the appointment! This is the step that allows your appointment to be inserted into our schedule.

​3. Fill out your new patient forms.

Let us get to know you and your concerns. Please complete your new patient forms online prior to your appointment with us. If you have questions regarding a cavity you see or the benefits of teeth whitening, this is your chance to ask them. If you're looking for a friendly Sunnyvale dental team to examine and clean your teeth every 6 months, let us know. Our team reviews all forms so that we can prepare for your appointment - the more information you give us, the better prepared we'll be!

4. Provide any dental insurance information that you may have.

If you have dental insurance, make sure to share it with our office prior to your visit in our office. You may do so by filling out your insurance information when scheduling your appointment online or by emailing us. We will need your insurance company, your enrollee ID number, and the name and birthdate of the subscriber. If you're not sure where to find this information, contact our office by phone or email so that we may assist you.

5. Come to your appointment relaxed and ready to watch your favorite shows!

If you've done the above steps, then you are set for your appointment with us! On the day of the appointment, there's no need to come 15 minutes early - come right on time, bring an ID card, and be prepared for our team to take care of you. My last tip is to have an idea of what TV show(s) or movies you'd like to see. If you're indecisive like I am, let us know what you like to watch, and ask our team for recommendations!

If you've read through this blog and are ready to schedule your next appointment in our Sunnyvale office, please do so! We are looking forward to meeting you.