Introduction to Dental 101:
The 101 Factors You Should Know Before Going to the Dentist
There are many factors to consider when making any decision. Many of you have been in this type of situation: an important evening is coming up, like a loved one’s birthday, anniversary, graduation, or meeting is happening. You have to pick a great restaurant to go to. When deciding on a new restaurant, you will do a little research. You may look at the Zagat ratings, which give a nice description of the restaurant, along with ratings of food, décor, service, and cost. You may ask your friends or family about their experiences at their favorite restaurants. You may look at the restaurant’s website. You may read a review from the local newspaper. You consider a number of factors: the type of food and drinks they serve, the ambiance, the availability, the location, the quality, the reviews, the reputation, and on and on. Whatever the case may be, you think about it before you decide. Going to a restaurant is a fun experience usually, and I hope that when you find the right dentist, you will get that same feeling, especially after you read about the 101 factors listed in this book.
Dentistry is a profession that has been around since at least 7000BC: the first evidence of dental procedures was found in a Neolithic graveyard in western Pakistan.[i] Dentistry has evolved dramatically in the last 20 years, with the emergence of dental implants to replace missing teeth, the popularity of whitening[ii] and porcelain in the new era of esthetic dentistry, and most recently, the introduction of laser dentistry and 3D digital dentistry. In this new age of dentistry, you want to know the following 101 factors to make an informed decision about your oral health and dental care.
Going to the dentist is an extremely important aspect of your health. When choosing your dentist, make sure they are aligned with your hopes and wants. Verify that you are being listened to, respected, and valued.
The goal of this book is to help you to understand the one-hundred-one factors that I believe will be found when you walk into a dentist’s office that deserves to have you as a patient. My office’s goal and my team’s goal is to embody these 101 factors. We are a work in progress, and hope to achieve these factors to the best of our ability every day. Does it always happen? No, but we try our best every day, and when we realize we have not embodies all of the factors, we step back, look introspectively, and get it right.
Dentistry is a science that is constantly evolving with vast advancements and improvements over the last couple of decades. Over time, new factors will emerge, and many of new factors will be written.
You can read this book cover to cover. Good for you if you can! You are well on your way to becoming a dental dork like me!
You can look at chapters that address certain topics and reference them, or look at individual factors. You have full control over how you choose the right dentist for you. In other words, you make the call!
You have just made an important step toward creating the smile of your dreams. By reading this book, you will gain some insight into the importance of oral health and understand what factors to consider when choosing the right dentist for you. There are hundreds of aspects to consider, and this book discusses 101 of them. Thus the name: Dental 101.
Who enjoys going to the dentist? You would be surprised. Once you find the right dentist, the right office with the right attitude and the right fit for you, going to the dentist can be as pleasurable as going to the salon, spa, coffee house, or favorite restaurant.
Some of you may think that going to the dentist is scary, but it no longer needs to be. Sedation and new pain-free techniques have made dentistry extremely gentle and pleasant. You have options, and there are thousands of dentists around the U.S. that will take amazing care of you.
The objective of this book is to help you understand dentistry, to educate you about oral health, to determine what you want to achieve, and to help you find what you are looking for in a dentist.
There are many choices available to people today. With the advent of the internet and Google, finding a dentist is as simple as a search for Dentist followed by your zip code. How do you know you will get what you are looking for? How do you get the service you deserve? How important is it to you to get the quality you deserve? What are you looking for in a dentist?
These topics will be discussed at length. Before we begin, I must warn you: I am male, and I write from the male perspective. Just know that “he or she” and “his or her” in terms of the dentist make things difficult to read and write, so you will see “he” in reference to “the dentist” often. Female dentists are amazing caretakers, a huge asset to dentistry, and quickly making up more and more of the dental landscape. I apologize for the chauvinism.
With that said, let’s start with the foundation: The reasons to go to the dentist.
[i] Coppa, A., et al. Early Neolithic tradition of dentistry. Nature. 2006 Apr 6:755–756.
[ii] Matis BA, et al. Review of the effectiveness of various tooth whitening systems. Oper Dent. 2009 Mar-Apr;34(2):230-5.
