No matter how much you take care of your teeth, at some point, you'll need an emergency dentist appointment. Broken teeth, lost fillings and sudden toothaches happen when we least want and expect them, usually after the business hours. And when a horrible toothache comes without any warning, most of us won’t know who to call first. Your dentist might be on vacation and the majority of dental practices in your area are closed. Luckily, there is an increasing number of emergency dentists who work 24-7 and can help you out whenever you are in trouble.
But how to start searching for an emergency dentist that can help you later in the afternoon or in the middle of the night? Here are several factors to consider when you're in dental crisis and need to see a specialist as soon as possible.
The first thing you can do and the one that makes the most sense is to search for a dentist on the internet. Since there are a lot of dental practices around, don’t forget to enter your current location in the browser search field. Otherwise, you’ll end up with hundreds of results, most of them irrelevant to you.
If you can’t take a day off at work, you can run to the closest dentist during your lunch break. Bear in mind if your condition requires several treatments, you’ll want to pick a dentist in your local area. If you’re living in a small town, the possibilities might be limited and you might have to see a reputable dentist who is half an hour drive away.
You might be tempted to rush to the nearest emergency dentist office when you see that it’s open and available when you’re in need. Don't rush, spare a moment to check their qualifications. Most experienced dentists will point out their qualifications online and it’s up to you to check if that info is true.
Thanks to the Dental Board of Australia website you can check whether the dentist is a registered practitioner. In the case of emergency, no one wants to spend half an hour asking the dentists for their qualifications info. This search should take a couple of seconds and save you a lot of time. This way, you’ll do everything in your power to ensure yourself a quality and professional help.
When making a final decision, pay special attention to dentists’ experience and patients’ feedback. How long have they been in practice? Do they have testimonials or a review section on their website? Don’t be shy to ask the specialist a bit more about the accreditation they hold, when you get to their office.
Most people who had a bad dental practice experience and who are computer literate will leave a negative review. Thus, a simple Google search will help you find out a bit more about the potential emergency dentist. For example, the MGA Dental practice offers emergency dental services in Brisbane and Gold Coast. And the reviews can be checked on Facebook and Google.
Good accessibility, in terms of parking space. This isn’t always easy to check, and you’ll often find out that the office doesn’t have nearby parking space when you arrive. If they are advertising ample parking space this is a big plus. When you are forced to travel to reach the closest dentist, finding a parking space quickly means a lot.
Also, check if they’re serving the whole family. If you find a great dentist, you wouldn’t want to change it every time your family members need help. Try to find a dentist that will take care of your whole family (regardless of their age and type of dental issues) and offers a wide range of services.
Experienced specialists will deal with even the most complex issues, but their services might be a bit more expensive. Our advice would be to weigh the pros and cons of paying more for the procedure. Usually, paying less for the mediocre procedure will hurt you more in the long run, financially and physically.
When you find a dentist you like, call their office and schedule an appointment ASAP. Have in mind that a good dentist with 24-7 working hours can be overbooked, and you can find their waiting room is as crowded as the ER. If you’re in agonizing pain, and if the dentist has a long wait time, call the dentist number two on your list.
In case that you can’t see the dentist quickly, here are some great self-help tips to help you ease the pain until you reach the dental practice.
