Looking for a Dentist in Atlanta?

With the sheer volume of listings on the internet or other directories for dentists here in Atlanta, the question of how you would pick one becomes overwhelming unless you have some solid criteria to work from. After all, there are a large number of good practitioners in our area who can render decent service for most people’s general dentistry needs, especially when we are looking at simple actions like filling a tooth or getting a routine dental cleaning.

So what items can you look for and use as a sort of “check-off” list in order to find a highly qualified and trustworthy dentist?  When looking over a potential dentist, note the following things on their website, listing or in person if you happen to be visiting them directly. The better each one of these items are, the better your chances of choosing an absolute gem.

Education – Check where they went to school and what degrees or certs they achieved. This is often on their wall in reception, and is usually described in detail on the dentist’a bio on their website.

Continuing Education and Advanced Training – Check as well for any continuing education they have taken, how extensive it was, and on what subjects. The more certifications they have, the more sweat they have poured onto becoming proficient at their craft. By the way, the doctor does not earn these certificates without showing that they can competently attain the result called for in the training.

Awards and Honors – Has this dentist achieved special recognitions for their skills and achievements? One of the best demonstrations of achievement is receiving a fellowship in an advanced dental society. Those are only conferred after the doctor has demonstrated that they can get a consistent and top-quality result. This is a great reassurance if you are interested in  specific service (such as dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, etc.)

Do they teach others? – This is an added plus that puts icing on the cake. A dentist who has a history of instructing others in the clinical skills they practice has an understanding that is a cut above the general practitioner. And the teacher will also be able to better help you understand what they are doing when they are working with you (this relieves a lot of nerves, as you can imagine).

Are they friendly and reassuring? – Granted, the ability to competently give you what you need is the most important, but someone who is genuinely caring, friendly and reassuring makes all the difference in the world as far as the experience is concerned. Don’t underestimate this. If it was a choice between two equally qualified and competent doctors, I’ll take the friendlier and gentler of the two any day of the week. Often you can get a good glimpse of their personality just from their pictures (or videos of they have any). If no way to know form these, go meet them. You’ll find out fast.

Testimonials from happy patients? – If they have them, then read them and note what they say. Patients are the best evidence that everything you are seeing is backed up by result.

Dr. Padolsky is pretty much at the top of the list on every one of the qualifications you would check to see if you have an expert who will give you top-quality service. And you should absolutely meet him for an initial consultation. If you can’t already tell he’s one of the nicest and most gentle doctors you’ll ever see just from his pictures, you’ll be completely certain once he sits down with you.

Good hunting.