This post is the first in a series that addresses common threats to your teeth.  The first is obvious but important nonetheless.  Unfortunately, for varied reasons, many people avoid the dentist.    Generally these reasons are fear, time, and finances. I definitely understand this; I too do not “enjoy” having dental work done.  However, the irony of this scenario is that eventually problems will arise and when they do the treatment will be more difficult, take longer, and cost more.   A sign of a good dentist is one that attempts to maintain routine 6 month appointments, not to bug you or ensure office profits, but because they care about you.  Truth is the longer a person waits the larger and more expensive the treatment is.  This is an easy fix, before you leave your dental appointment, make the next appointment and keep it!

A good modern dental office will also address the most common issues related to avoiding the dentist.  At Amberly Dental in Waverly, NE for instance, we have a calm, comfortable environment including nitrous oxide and TV’s on the ceiling to take your mind off the work.  In addition, we pride ourselves on being efficient and on time.  Our entire staff becomes uncomfortable if someone has to wait over 5 minutes.   If you routinely wait for dental appointments it’s not acceptable in this day and age.   Here’s a quick tip if you hate waiting like I do, schedule appointments first thing in the morning or first thing after lunch.  There’s little chance of running late at these times.   Finally, cost is always a factor.   At Amberly Dental we, like most modern offices, have various forms of financing to make it easier.   If nothing else, please remember waiting until it hurts is always a losing scenerio.   To sum things up, my father-in-law, a recent convert to regular dental appointments, made this comment that says it all, “This 6 month thing is great.  I should have been doing it years ago.”