It’s easy to think a family dentist and a general dentist are the same thing but there are one or two distinct differences and they are all about the age of patients. A family dentist treats children as well as adults while a general dentist keeps their practice to adults.
Beyond that, a general dentist may not treat geriatric patients as they have special needs.
Below is a list of different types of dentists and how to make sense of them, including the differences between a family dentist and a general dentist.
Family Dentist
A family dentist has the education and skills to perform all the basic dental services needed for patients of all ages. That ranges from children to senior citizens. The advantage of using a family dentist is convenience. You have one building to take both your children and grandparents. The practice has all the dental records of the entire family so dentists can look for trends and patterns. That helps plan for future dental health and prevent problems in younger family members.
General Dentist
sOne misconception regarding general dentists is that they don’t have the education of family or other types of dentists. That isn’t true. General dentists are capable of doing any procedure or exam that is done in a family dental office and are trained to work on patients of all ages.
However, they prefer to service adults rather than children. Their offices are more functional for adults than children. That includes equipment, the waiting area, and how they deal with patients. Yet, some general dentists will take children as patients if they are the son or daughter of a current patient.
Specialty Dentists
Beyond the family and general dentists, there are those who specialize in specific age groups. Pediatric dentists take only children as patients and those patients will be referred to a general or family dentist once they hit a certain age determined by the practice.
Pediatric dentists differ from family dentists because they have a much narrower patient base. Their waiting area is geared toward children and they often host special events for their patients. Dentists are more thoroughly trained in how to treat and relate to children than family or general dentists, even though all are trained in working with younger patients in their education.
Geriatric dentists receive specific training in working with the elderly and addressing their dental problems which tend to be weak teeth, periodontitis, and dentures. Like pediatric dentist, these specialty dentists understand the unique needs of this population, how to speak to them, educate them about oral care, and work with caregivers or family members to provide good oral healthcare.
Dental School Education
All of these specialty groups are well qualified to work on any patient. The age limitations are their focus because that’s the group they enjoy and feel compelled to service. It is also important to note that all these specialty group dentists, including family and general dentists, can perform simple oral surgery procedures such as tooth extractions. They may refer to an oral surgeon for more complicated procedures like impacted wisdom teeth.
How to Decide Between a Family or a General Dentist?
The decision to go to either a family or general dentist may depend on your home life and family members. Single people or a couple looking after parents may feel completely at ease at a general dentist. Those with younger kids may want a family dentist to take care of everyone even after the kids grow into adults.
The key factor in selecting a dentist, beyond education, skills, and patient recommendations, is whether you like them and the office atmosphere. You want your kids and your grandparents to like them too. After all, no one wants to hate going to the dentist. It should be a place they enjoy.
Do Your Research
Do some online research before picking a dentist. Look at the services they offer and the age ranges they cover. Look at the reviews to see what others are saying. Make an appointment for a consultation once you’ve narrowed your list to one or two.
The Consult
Many dental offices offer free consultations where you can meet the staff and the dentist to see if they are a fit for your household. It’s good to take your children or parents to these consults to see if they like the dentist also. That could be a determining factor.
The consult won’t have an exam but will offer a quick tour and be able to talk with the dentist or office manager. You can find out more about their financial options and see if your insurance qualifies for payment there. Those could be the deciding factors in who you select so it pays to know.
After that, go with your gut on selecting the dentist. It needs to be someone who can be an extended part of your family for years to come. Once you decide, make an appointment for the first exam or have dental records transferred.
We would love to talk to you about all we offer for families and people of all ages. Contact us today and see how we are different from other dental offices. We look forward to meeting you!