Dental Center, Office & Practice
Dental Center
A dental center is a type of practice that employs many different dentists, covering a variety of specialties. Oral health care is not always as simple as a preventative cleaning twice a year. Often, it requires specialists to address more complex issues.
The Advantages of a Dental Center
● Dental centers have different dental specialists practicing in the same clinic. This approach can provide additional insight into dental issues, save time, and potentially be more cost-effective. Difficult aesthetic and functional dental problems typically involve several dentistry fields. Receiving treatment at a dental center that offers various services can streamline this process. Additionally, patients with complex medical issues can benefit from a specialized dental team trained on how a patient’s medical condition can affect their dental health.
● Often, dental centers can have several dentists covering one area. Patients who do not mind seeing a different dentist every appointment may want to consider a dental center.
● A dental center also has the advantage of being able to offer newer technology to its patients, which can be cost-prohibitive for a smaller dental office.
● Another advantage of dental centers is the increased ability to treat patients with special needs, including patients with hearing issues or developmental or physical disabilities.Family Services in One Location
Having family services in one location can prevent the need for multiple dental facilities for each family member’s oral health needs. Dental centers can provide services to all members of the family, regardless of age. Since dental centers offer a wider range of treatment options, families with children, teens, and adults can receive the dental care they need.
Dental history can also be hard to track when a family uses multiple providers at different locations. A dental center can make it easier to monitor each patient and keep track of dental records. Having family services at one location allows families to save time and reduce the stress of traveling to different places.Dental Center Procedures
Dental centers offer preventative, general, and specialty dentistry services in one convenient location. One major advantage of dental centers is their ability to manage complex dental treatments that other offices may have to send elsewhere. This can save patients considerable time and stress resulting from visiting different dental providers.
Some of the services provided can include preventative dentistry, such as professional teeth cleanings and X-rays. Other possible services include fillings, extractions, root canals, cosmetic dentistry, including crowns, teeth whitening, extractions, dentures, and even orthodontics. Patients should contact our team to learn more about the available treatment options.Benefits of a Multi-Dentist Office
Most dentists treat patients during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, with perhaps a few evening or weekend hours. A dental center can offer more non-traditional appointment hours since several dentists work together to cover patient appointments. This can be a significant help to busy people or families who do not have a lot of extra time to spare.
Not only can a dental center offer expanded hours, but it is also better equipped to handle emergency patients. The same dental team can treat patients in emergencies and have access to all the necessary patient records at a dental center. This can make a stressful emergency much more manageable for both patients and their families.
Dental Office
A dental office is owned and operated by a single provider, who has attended four years of dental school after college and is a licensed Doctor of Dental Surgery or a Doctor of Dental Medicine. Since patients only see one provider, this type of office often can provide more personalized services than dental centers staffed by many dentists.
Benefits of a Dental Office
● A single-provider dental office offers a level of personalized care that cannot be found elsewhere.Dental offices benefit from a smaller staff focused on providing patients with a quality experience. Dentists and their patients have more freedom in how they interact and more leverage in their treatment plans. These patients often trust their dentist more and are more open to treatment recommendations.
● A dental office can make sure a patient’s preferences in communication, education, and specialized care are all taken into consideration.Patients are also often given more time in a dental office. Longer appointment times provide the dentist a chance to learn more about the patient’s oral health, overall health history, and fears about treatment. By taking the time to know their patients fully, a dental office can avoid falling victim to a "one size fits all" approach. Sometimes a treatment can be less aggressive or avoided altogether due to the significant advantage of knowing a patient’s long-term oral health history.The Right Patient for a Dental Office
Patients who desire a warmer relationship with their dentist may benefit from a dental office.
Single-provider offices are more likely to get to know their patients and their specific oral health needs better. When it is time for an appointment, the dentist knows details beyond what is included in the patient chart. If quick, impersonal health care visits are a turnoff, a dental office may be the right option.The Dental Office Team
There can be several types of dental professionals working in a given dental office, including the dentist, the dental hygienist (responsible for preventative treatment such as professional cleaning), and the dental assistant (helps the dentist during specific procedures).
Other members of the office staff include the receptionist and office manager who help the practice run smoothly. These staff members assist with check-in, appointment scheduling, billing and other necessary paperwork.Education Requirements
A dental office is owned and operated by someone who attended four years of dental school after college and is a licensed Doctor of Dental Surgery or a Doctor of Dental Medicine. This person is responsible for the diagnosis of dental disease and treatment planning for the patient. Individual states also have licensing requirements, which include two exams covering written and clinical components.
Many dentists who manage their own offices also take business courses. The American Dental Association even offers an executive program in dental practice management. Patients who receive services at a dental office can be assured that their provider has the credentials to provide comprehensive treatment.