5 Questions to Ask Before Choosing Your Kennewick Dental Clinic

When in search of the best Kennewick dentist clinic, you are looking for more than a professional to clean your teeth and gums. What you are looking for is the best dentist in the best clinic that can attend to your dental care needs. So, how can you find a good dentist and dental clinic in Kennewick, WA?   

The best way to go about this is by preparing a set of questions. These questions will enable you to interview prospective candidates. Want to know which questions to ask a dentist?   

Keep reading!  

1. How Would You Conduct a Dental Exam on a New Patient at Your Dental Clinic?  

The first dental appointment can make or break a dentist-patient relationship. Since its a momentous event, the best Kennewick dentist will handle you professionally to ensure that they create an excellent lasting impression.  

Here is how your first dental appointment should go.  

To launch a long term and mutually beneficial relationship on your first dental appointment, the front desk assistant will welcome you at the dental office. After a warm and enthusiastic welcome, the assistant will explain the services offered and even the rates. While explaining the services and amenities, the assistant will build trust with you.  

Before your appointment with the dentist, the front desk assistant will gather typical patient information. This includes personal facts and medical history. When you meet the dentist, he or she will also offer a warm and enthusiastic welcome. This is followed by a comprehensive exam and treatment plan. This will allow you to take advantage of oral health care services on offer.  

After the exam, the dentist will arrange the next appointment.

To know if the first dental appointment will be pleasant, here is what you should look for in the dentist’s answer:  

  • Welcoming protocol  
  • Systematic check on all oral health areas  
  • Best chairside mannerisms  
  • Attention to detail  
  • Professional record-keeping  
  • Ability to keep patients comfortable  

Remember, if the answer does not satisfy you, move on.  

2. Do You Offer a Particular Specialty or Area of Practice Outside General Dentistry?  

Dental emergencies occur without warning. You may be walking on the streets enjoying the cool air and sights only to slip and crack a tooth. Alternatively, you may be playing contact sport with friends at the park only to end up with a missing tooth.  

The nearest dental practice is an hour or two away. On arrival, nobody around offers clear braces, sedation, crowns or cosmetic dental services. To ensure you can receive the right services, find out what area of practice outside general dentistry is available.  

For dental procedures such as oral surgery, cosmetic procedures, and sedation, some patients travel hours to see a dentist in another state. Ask the dentist about any specialized areas of practice.  

For instance, do they offer orthodontics, oral surgery, and cosmetic surgery? What forms of pain management do they offer? 

Are they recognized for no stress and pain free Comfort Dentistry?

3. Has the Dental Clinic been Recognized by the Community for their Professionalism and Care?  


Awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate excellence and service delivery. They also build value for your dental practice. Choosing a Kennewick dentist who has won both the Best Dentist and Best Dental Office award assures you of the best treatment.  

It also means that the dental clinic has created an atmosphere that makes all patients – new and existing – to feel at home. Simply put, the staff offers a warm and enthusiastic welcome as well as making you feel like family.  

This does not mean that a dentist who has yet to win an award does not offer quality dental care. But, an award-winning dental practice that puts your comfort and that of your family first is right for you. 

Southridge Dental and Dr. Sean Simper are the only Kennewick Dental Clinic and Kennewick Dentist to be awarded the prestigious People’s Choice award and place in the top 3 for both Best Dentist and Best Dental Clinic.

https://mykennewickdentist.com/blog/best-kennewick-dentist/

4. Do You Have Patient Testimonials or References to Contact?  

In the digital world, there is plenty of information to research a dentist before scheduling your first appointment. But how can you be sure that the reviews are accurate? Well, ask the dentist for testimonials from existing patients. This should be easy for a Kennewick dentist as the community is close-knit.  

Word of mouth from a community member in Kennewick can offer a peek into the dentist’s practice. It is wise to be aware of dental practices with zero patient testimonials. This either means their existing patients have nothing good to say about their experiences. Or, they do not care enough to keep in touch with their patients.  

To make sure the testimonials are genuine, ask for five or ten contacts of their existing patients. You can take it a step further and read online reviews. Sites such as Google, Yelp, and BBB provide a platform for users to leave online reviews. These reviews can be helpful and 100% legitimate while others are not.  

Read Southridge Dental’s reviews here:

https://reviews.bizinga.com/southridge-dental-151820244479746

5. Do You Offer Digital Radiographs and When Is It Necessary?  

Advancement in dental technology has enabled dentists to offer better services. One of those advancements is digital radiographs or digital X-rays. This modern technology enables dentists to have a clear image of the entire mouth or tooth decay. These images are of high quality compared to traditional X-ray films. Also, they use less radiation (70% less) compared to traditional X-ray machines.  

By having a clear image of small dental problems, the best Kennewick dentist will recommend less costly and non-invasive treatment. Digital X-rays are necessary where certain dental problems have no oral pain or warning signs.  

It is also important to ask how often the dentist will take the digital X-rays, and if they are taken before establishing a treatment plan. If digital X-rays are not part of the dentist’s procedure, consider another dentist. 

Call the  Kennewick Dentist and Kennewick Dental Clinic Best for Your Family!

Apart from the question above, ask the dentist about payment plans, insurance accepted, and continuing education opportunities. Also, don’t forget to ask how the dentist determines the number of visits for you.  
For quality dental services and treatment, contact Southridge Dental today, your best choice for a Kennewick Dentist and a Kennewick Dental Clinic:

Southridge Dental
Dr. Sean Simper, DDS
3911 West 27th Avenue
Suite 105
Kennewick, WA 99337
Call today: (509) 581-0081

5 Questions to Ask Before Choosing Your Kennewick Dentist

When it comes to dental care, it is important to choose the best dentist. Why? The right Kennewick dentist will offer the best tooth care for you and your family. Problem is, doing so is a bit tricky.  

What you need to know is that it does not have to be difficult to find the best dentist. To find the right Kennewick dentist, you have to ask the right questions. Here are 5 questions to ask before choosing a dentist.  

1. What Areas of Dentistry Do You Specialize In?  

When you think of a dentist, you imagine the local dental clinic where the community visits for teeth cleaning and checkups. What you need to know is that the profession of dentistry is much bigger. Asking the dentist his or her area of specialty helps you to know if he or she matches your needs.  

If he or she is a family dentist, that means he specializes in taking care of your oral health. Services offered include dental X-rays, regular dental cleaning, restorative oral care, treatment of oral issues and oral care education. For orthodontists, they are concerned with jawbones, misaligned teeth and designing custom oral devices. You also have periodontists which concern the treatment of extreme gum inflammation and pain. This area of specialty also deals in installation of dental implants and performing skin grafts on gums.  

Other dental specialties include prosthodontist, endodontist, oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Apart from the area of specialty, consider their work experience. You will feel better learning that the dentist has more than 5 years of hands-on experience.  

2. How Long Has the Dentist Been Practicing?  

Every Kennewick community member deserves an experienced dentist who is also an upstanding member of the local community. This does not mean that a new practice in the area is not qualified to attend to your oral care needs. Or they don’t have professional staff who are pleasant and ready to assist.  

A dentist who has practiced in the area for more than 5 years has assisted many people and maintained long term relationships with patients. As such, it is easier to get a reference from a fellow Kennewick community member in regards to the dentist’s services. Also, it can help you answer other important questions.  

Dr. Simper has been practicing dentistry for over 10 years and has the experience, knowledge, technology and chairside manner you are looking for.

For instance, are they kid-friendly? Have any accidents been reported as a result of negligence and unprofessionalism? Does the dentist have good chairside mannerisms? By learning about the practice and the dentist interaction with the community, it can make the difference in your decision.  

3. Do You Take Part in Continuing Education Opportunities Beyond State Requirements?  

Technology advances very fast and it’s important to keep pace at all times. The right Kennewick dentist should have continuing education policies. This is a good indicator that the dentist is committed to professionalism and quality services. He or she is also committed to improving the dental health and lives of the community.  

State requirements for continuing education differ. To ensure the dentist keeps up with the latest trends in dentistry, a regular schedule of yearly continuing education is recommended. This should be backed by a practical application at the dental office as well as the use of the latest technology.  

Dr. Simper, for instance, has obtained the prestigious award of fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry, a status held by less than 5% of dentists nationwide. He is currently working on obtaining Mastership, which less than 1% of dentists hold.

4. Has The Kennewick Dentist been Recognized by the Community for Their Dental Skills?  

Many dentists serve their community with dedication and special care. As such, people keep coming back and even telling their family and friends about their experience. For dental practices that go above and beyond to offer quality services to their patients, they deserve more recognition.  

Community recognition brings long-lasting benefits. Winners of awards such as Best Dentist and Best Dental Office receive more attention from their patients. They also welcome attention from peers in their profession and the local press.  

This goes a long way to establish their practice as a trusted institution. In Kennewick, the only dentist to have won both the Best Dentist and Best Dental office award is Dr. Simper of Southridge Dental.  

5. Can the Doctor Fit His or Her Appointment According to My Schedule?  

When choosing a Kennewick dentist, it is important to find one who offers appointments that work with your schedule. That means choosing a dental office that offers extended hours and is open on Saturdays too.  

It is also important to choose a dentist who can communicate with you in your preferred language. Many dentists are guilty of not being able to communicate in a language that patients can understand. Before choosing a dentist, make sure he or she communicates in a language you understand. This makes it easy for you to learn about your condition and dental procedures. 

At Southridge Dental we try to fit your schedule as we can. This includes dental emergencies, which we try and see the same day. 

Schedule Your Appointment with Kennewick Dentist, Southridge Dental 

The five questions above should help you find the best dentist that meets your needs. If you are not satisfied with the answers, move on. You want to make sure that that you and your family receive quality dental care from a trusted dentist.  

Southridge Dental is an award-winning dental clinic awarded with Best Dentist and Best Dental Office awards by the community of Kennewick and the Tri-cities, WA… For quality dental care, contact us today:  

Southridge Dental
Dr. Sean Simper, DDS
3911 West 27th Avenue
Suite 105
Kennewick, WA 99337
Call today: (509) 581-0081