Pick the perfect family dentist by avoiding these signs of subpar dental care.

Choosing a new family dentist doesn't have to feel like a game of Russian roulette. By recognizing the red flags of poor quality dental care, you'll feel confident in identifying a great dentist or family dental care practice that comes your way.Here are 6 warning signs that a prospective family dentist is probably not the right choice for you and your family.

1. Patients are treated as customers rather than people with unique needs.

You pay your dentist for dentistry services, but you should never feel as though you are simply a customer. When a dentist treats you as just a set of teeth, not only is their customer care severely lacking, but you're also missing out as a patient.Our approach to customer care is best expressed in our motto: "Our Family Caring for Yours." We feel privileged when patients trust us with their oral health. We show this appreciation by genuinely getting to know each of our patients, building a strong relationship with them, and proving our high level of skill and expertise whenever possible.

2. There's a lack of care when it comes to cleanliness and sterilization.

Cleanliness is extremely important in any healthcare setting. Whether you're in for a routine checkup or extensive restorative treatment, the same level of sterile protocol is necessary. This includes wearing and changing gloves often to avoid cross-contamination as well as the autoclaving or tool sterilization process used in the office.During your visit, please feel free to ask us about our disinfection and sterilization protocols. We're very proud of our efforts to keep our office safe, and we enjoy sharing this information with patients.

3. The dentist doesn't show real before-and-after pictures when recommending treatment.

Not every dentist makes taking pictures of their work a priority, and that is OK. However, if a dentist has no before-and-after pictures or any sort of portfolio of real work they've done, this is most often a red flag for a lack of experience or lack of skill.We provide patients with an online Smile Gallery right on our website. Here you can see the results of dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, and Invisalign on real patients we've treated. We can also provide more specific images pertaining to the services you're most interested in.

4. The dentist isn't open to discussing dental procedures or alternative options.

A great family dentist will be eager to speak with you in detail about their dental procedure recommendations. They'll also be willing to discuss treatment alternatives if you're unsure. Additionally, a great dentist won't take it personally if you decide you'd like a second opinion. If your current dentist seems standoffish or disgruntled about any of these things, this can be a sign of a lack of confidence as well as a lack of respect for the patient.Our dentists never want patients to feel pressured into treatment. We go into great detail about each dentistry service we recommend, and that includes discussing alternative services that a patient may be interested in. Lastly, if a patient feels they need a second opinion, we 100% support this choice.

5. The dentist doesn't take a proactive and holistic approach to preventive dental care.

A great family dentist will take a holistic approach to dental care for patients. This means including the mouth-body connection in how they provide dental care, especially preventive care. Your dentist should also view your oral health as one big picture, rather than simply treating problems as they occur. When a proactive mindset isn't practiced, patients will find themselves constantly in and out of their dentist's office chasing problems.Our goal is for every patient to achieve optimal oral health and feel confident with a beautiful decay-free and disease-free smile. We do this by practicing prevention whenever we can and respecting the mouth-body connection. Each patient is unique, and factors like existing systemic health conditions affect how we approach each person.

6. The practice accepts children but lacks passion or experience in pediatric care.

Everyone deserves a dentist that makes them feel safe, comfortable, and confident—and this is especially true for youngsters. Poor experiences at a dentist can have a lasting effect on kids, making them reluctant for future visits to the dentist. Remember that not every family dentist is experienced or passionate about helping kids, even if they do accept patients of all ages. You want a dentist and dental team that genuinely enjoys working with kids.Our dentists are parents themselves and so are many of our team members. We absolutely love working with young patients and find joy in helping kids learn about dental care and how a dentist can be a great friend to them. Parents can schedule a special visit for their kids to simply come in for a meet-and-greet with our team before an official checkup appointment. We want every child to feel relaxed and excited about visiting our office.

Choosing Tomasik Family Dental as your family's new dental home.

If you're interested in experiencing what a great family dental practice is like, we welcome you to join our dental home. You can schedule your first appointment with us by calling our Bee Cave office or filling out this online form.We look forward to meeting you and your family!