Choosing your Denturist

How do you go about choosing a Denturist? That’s a difficult question to answer for most people
and yet it is an important one because having properly fitting dentures and an attractive smile is
essential to your health and well-being.

A good place to start is to check out the smiles of those around you and to see if someone you
trust can provide a referral and give you some idea of what made their experience with a
particular Denturist a positive one.

Location is also usually a consideration but after you’ve narrowed down the geography, you may
want to consider the following before you make this important decision.

First of all, it’s always a good idea to plan to see a few denturists before you make a
commitment to invest your time, health, money, and trust in anyone. Just like any investment
you make in your life, you will want to make sure that the practitioner you choose is someone
that is going to deliver you the very best product available.

You will also be spending anywhere from 4 – 6 appointments with this person so feeling
comfortable in their presence and in their clinic is also of importance. Luckily, most denturists
provide consultations free of charge so booking a few consults with your neighbourhood
denturists will not impact your pocketbook and will typically take up only a small amount of your
time.

Once you are meeting with the denturist, you might want to consider:

• How comfortable do you feel with the denturist, the clinic and the staff?
• How willing is the Denturist to explain your particular dental situation, answer questions
  and, clarify answers if necessary, to ensure that you understand your particular situation
  and/or treatment options?
• The Denturist’s education and years of experience
• Does the Denturist participate in ongoing continuing education and/or conferences to
  keep him/her up to date with their profession?
• Is the Denturist registered with the College of Denturists of BC?
• Any particular areas of expertise?
• Their hours of operation and how that fits into your scheduling needs
• How much of the work is done “in-house” and how much is sent to an outside lab for
  fabrication?
• What kinds of materials, equipment and techniques do they use? Equipment and
  materials can vary quite significantly as can the techniques used to fit and equilibrate
  dentures.
• How many sets of impressions are taken to ensure a precise fit?
• What techniques are employed to ensure proper balance and function of the teeth?
• What processing methods are used?
• Are wax try-in models provided so you can see what your dentures will look like and
  make any changes prior to processing?
• How are billing and insurance claims handled?
• Will the Denturist provide you with references of past patients who are willing to speak to
  you about their experience?

By putting a little bit of time into your decision-making process, you will hopefully feel the
reassurance that comes with feeling good about your practitioner and having all the information
you need to make the best treatment decision for your particular dental situation.

Whether you are getting dentures for the first time or having a set replaced, getting new
dentures is not only a financial investment but also an investment in your time and more
importantly, your health, and well-being. Taking the time to make sure there is a “fit” between
you and your Denturist can ultimately be as important as the perfect fit you hope to have with
your new set of dentures.