Most people have experienced this scenario: You need to schedule a teeth cleaning or a regular dental checkup, but when you call your dentist’s office you are told that the next available appointment isn’t for another six months.
What gives? How come it sometimes takes months and months to get a dentist’s appointment? Are dentists really that popular?
The Truth about Dental Appointments
The honest answer is “yes and no”. Most dentists are pretty busy and their appointment schedule tends to fill up rather quickly.
But most dentists also set aside appointment times each day for patients who need urgent dental treatment. These include patients with dental pain, broken or chipped teeth, or other needs that require immediate attention from their dentist.
Making Appointments in Advance
Another factor is that long-range dental appointment planning benefits the patient as well as the dentist.
You should see your dentist at least once per year for a routine checkup. It’s also recommended that you schedule routine teeth cleaning at least twice per year.
Because you already know that you need these appointments, setting them up well in advance is convenient for both the dentist and the patient.
The dentist can fill their schedule several months in advance, with the exception of the emergency appointments that are purposely left over. The patient can mark their calendars to remind them of the appointment, as well as receive email, mail, or telephone reminders from their dentist.
There When You Need Us
Rest assured that if you need immediate dental care, you won’t have to wait weeks or even months to receive it from McCosh Family Dentistry. We can always accommodate those patients who are in need of urgent dental treatment.
While it may seem as if dentists have some of the busiest schedules in the world, in reality, they are simply trying to provide the needed dental services to their patients.
