How to Find an Orthodontist For Your Child

Kids are seeing the orthodontist at younger ages now to monitor tooth eruption and catch dental problems earlier. Early intervention could mean the difference between spending most of your childhood and teen years in braces or having them off in a year or two.

The ideal time for an orthodontist to examine your child is before they lose all of their baby teeth. So how do you find the right orthodontist? Let’s find out!

Ask about their experience

Parents can and should ask the doctor about their schooling and training, and for you to find the right orthodontist you should ask any additional questions you may have. A skilled orthodontist should have a regular dental school background and at least two years of specialty training in orthodontics. Adults, children, and teens all have different dental care needs. When you find an orthodontist for your child, they should be very used to practicing on kids.

Look for online reviews

Online reviews are great for finding restaurants and shops, but they can also help you find an orthodontist or doctor. Websites like Yelp and Google will have an abundance of information to learn about an orthodontist. However, don’t rely solely on the aggregated review score, but rather take the time to read what people are writing.

Visit the office

Online reviews can be helpful, but there is nothing better than visiting the office. When you think that you’ve found an orthodontist for your child, take some time to tour their office. Cleanliness and decor factor into an initial impression, but meet the receptionists and staff to get a better feel for the office. If you feel it’s a welcoming and comfortable environment, it’ll probably be a great fit.

Discuss insurance and payment

Before you decide on the orthodontist, make sure you talk to someone about insurance and billing in your new patient consult. Your insurance may have information on how much you should expect for a co-pay, but you may not know if the orthodontist is in your network. If you end up liking an orthodontist that isn’t in your network, it’s still worth talking to them. They may have a different payment structure for out of network patients. You should also discuss payments. Some offices even have interest free payment plans.

Your turn

How did you find your child’s orthodontist? Do you have any tips for our readers?

Tell us about it in our comment’s section! Also if you are looking for an orthodontist for you child we would love it if you would consider Abdoney Orthodontics.