Americans are known for a lot of things. One of the things that sets people in the United States apart from others around the world is how much Americans care about how their teeth look. It has been estimated that the vast majority of people believe that having a good looking smile is important to a number aspects of their lives. They see having a good smile as being helpful to career prospects and how well someone does with their career. A big part of keeping smiles looking great is going to the dentist on a regular basis. Unfortunately, most people do not go as often as is recommended. There are a lot of reasons for this. If you are looking for a new, local dentist, you may not know where to turn. There are some things you can do to find the right family dentist for your needs.

1. Talk to your friends and family. One of the best ways to find decent services and products is to get personal recommendations from people you trust. In a perfect world, you will ask the people you know for a good local dentist and you will get the same recommendation from more than one person. When two, or more, people recommend the same local dentist, you will have a much higher level of confidence in that person. If you have not gone to the dentist because you are afraid of going, making an appointment with someone you know has been recommended can make your anxiety level decrease.
2. Talk to your health insurance company. You may have some limitations on what dental offices you can go to. It is important to talk to you dental insurance provider before you start looking for local dentists. They may have more information about the dentists in your area than who is on your plan. They should be able to help you find a good dentist in your area and find the right kind of dentist for you. If you are looking for certain services, they can steer you in the right direction. Cosmetic dentists can handle a number of services such as tooth whitening. The number of people who want these services has gone up by at least 300% over the past five years.
3. Talk to your doctor’s office. Oral health and overall physical health are related. Moreover, your medical doctor should be the quarterback of your medical team. There are a number of tooth infections that can spread to other parts of your body so it is always a good idea to keep your medical doctor apprised of the major dental work that you are having done. By the same token, they can be a good resources for a number of specialists, including local dentists. They may not be able to help you find the right dentist but they cannot say yes, if you do not ask. They may surprise you.
4. Get information from professional dental associations. You can visit the websites for the American Dental Association (ADA) or the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). You state should also have a dental association. These associations can help you find the right dentist for your situation and family. If you have children, you may want to find a pediatric dentist for them. Some people like to have one family dentist to work with everyone in their family. That makes it easier for one person to follow a dental patient from childhood to adulthood.
5. Get to know the dental office before you go for your appointment. Spend some time developing a list of prospective local dentists. When you have that, call them and see if you can talk to the dentist before you go in for your appointment. This can be really helpful if you are scared of dentists. Dental offices know that people are scared to go in. This is not something that will surprise them and they may have ways to help people feel less stressed out in advance of the dental appointment. Many understand what you are going through and may be able to make the experience better.

You can find a local dentist, get over your fear and have a really good experience at the dental office.