How to Choose a Family Dentist

My name is Sandy and my family and I just moved to Lansing, Michigan.  I've spent most of my life growing up in northern Michigan, where everyone knew everybody, and businesses were run by neighbors. I wanted that same feeling even though we’re now living in a much bigger city. For 30 years I went to the same dentist. I took my kids there, I recommended it to my friends, and it was a relief to have a dentist that cared about me as a person, not just my teeth. So I made a list of qualities that I wanted my new dentistry to have.

With 3 kids in the family, and my husband, I wanted to make sure we’re getting the most quality care with a trusted staff. I broke my list down into 3 major categories: location, staff, and services. As far as location goes, I wanted the office to be close to work, home, and my children’s school. Things change all the time, having a dentist that’s close and easy to locate can take out a lot of the hassle. Hours matter to me as well. We’re all up early and out the door and don’t stop all day. Having dentistry with flexible hours is a redeeming quality. I also want the office to appear clean, neat, and orderly.  I want to know that the dentist that they have is well trained, knowledgeable, and friendly.

Before selecting a dentist, I made sure to do a little background research on some of the dentistry’s websites. I even asked our local pharmacist if she had any recommendations. I don’t want to have to go to other places to get different procedures done as well. If I need a crown, x-ray, cavity filling, extraction or any other service, I want to make sure I can get it done in the same place. A one stop shop for all of my dental needs.  In the end I visited a few places and talked to the staff, and based my decision upon my list (eventually selecting Derksen Dentistry). But going in and actually meeting the staff beforehand was the deal breaker.