Who Is the Better Dentist?

Patients have no way to accurately judge the quality of dental care. They cannot realistically evaluate the fit of a margin or the cleanliness of a root surface. However, they can easily see how clean the countertops are. They know how friendly the staff is and will notice how up to date the office technology is.

Let’s do a quick thought experiment. Put yourself in the position of a patient and ask yourself this basic question: “Who is the better dentist?”

Who is better, the dentist who fills your mouth with goo, makes an uncomfortable “temporary” and then makes you wait two weeks for a crown? Or the dentist who scans your mouth with a wand and makes a crown while you wait?

As dental professionals, we might evaluate surgical precision, clinical judgment and basic integrity in determining who is a better dentist. Using CAD/CAM does not necessarily make for a better dentist. However, in the eyes of the patient, there is no doubt the same day, high tech CAD/CAM dentist will be perceived as the better dentist. People make judgments based on the things they see and feel.

Then they defend those judgments.

Up-to-date technology will impact how a patient perceives the office. In fact, it will likely be the biggest factor a patient might use to determine if you are a good dentist or not. The future is coming, and it will be amazing!

Larry Emmott, D.D.S. Contributor

