At Cedarwood Dentistry, it takes a village. Although patients primarily come to see one of our dentists when they visit, our office wouldn’t be able to function without our entire dental team. Along with our dentists, we have support staff, dental assistants, and hygienists that keep our office running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
Contents
Dental Assistants
Our dental assistants are there to assist our dentists in all that we do. Along with ensuring that our dentists can do their job quickly and effectively, our dental assistants act as liaisons to our patients. They keep our patients comfortable, removing excess saliva or water in their mouths, and helping them with anything else they may need during the appointment. Our dental assistants help the office run smoothly and efficiently by preparing everything for appointments in advance.
As the dental assistants pick up new tasks and become proficient in our way of doing things, they continue to make the dentist’s job easier. This helps the dentist not have to be in the room the entire time when taking impressions, making temporary crowns, taking shades, etc. Allowing our dental assistants to help with tasks usually done by a dentist can free up more time slots for our patients and get them out of appointments quicker.
Creating Personal Experiences for Our Patients
Our dental assistants focus on making the experience personalized for the patient and ensuring they are comfortable. They’re intuitive and ask thoughtful questions to aid the patient experience, offering them water or a magazine to read. As they want to ensure the patient is relaxed, they will gauge whether or not the patient might want to sit quietly or engage in polite conversation. At Cedarwood, our dental assistants go beyond just helping the dentist and contribute to shaping our entire patient experience.
Dental Hygienists
When it comes to patient care, dental hygienists are the ones that ensure that both new and regular patients have a recall system. A recall system means the patients return for routine maintenance, teeth cleanings, exams, x-rays, etc. Dental hygienists are integral practitioners in patient retention and keeping them coming back for their appointments. Of course, they clean teeth and do periodontal treatments, such as scaling and root planing, also known as deep cleanings. Although cleaning teeth and doing periodontal treatments such as deep cleanings are all essential parts of the hygienists’ job, patient interaction is one of the most critical aspects, as they see the patient the most.
With the practice, the most important job that the hygienist does is caring for a patient during their dental cleaning appointments. They clean the teeth and gather information so the dentist can quickly yet thoroughly evaluate and examine the patient. As the dental hygienists ensure everything is set up for the dentists in advance, the patient can get the most thorough exam possible without waiting a long time or spending more money doing a separate examination.
Centered on Patient Care
Our hygienists are exceptional because they are efficient, accurate, and gentle. They are empathetic and caring, making sure to listen to each patient and care for their needs. Often, cleanings can be stressful for patients because of previous experiences that were rough or made their gums hurt. So our hygienists do their best to make an anxiety-inducing experience as relaxing and gentle as possible.
If our patients have a preference for a hygienist, we will consider that and the preferred day and time of the week. For some patients, having that Monday appointment at 4:00 pm is going to be the most important factor. For others, ensuring that they see a specific hygienist matters more, so they are more flexible on the scheduling.
Dentists
Our dentists are responsible for much of our technical work, along with caring for our patients. For instance, the dentists make sure any filling, crown preparation, or any other work a patient needs is efficient and accurate. When a patient requires anesthesia or numbing, the dentist makes sure they are comfortable upon delivering it and that they are fully numb and comfortable during the procedure. Dentists are responsible for making correct diagnoses and providing patients with the appropriate care.
Our Focus on Invisible Dentistry
Our dentists strive to make the dentistry we do invisible. We want it to be so comfortable you don’t even know you had work done. Whether it’s a filling or a new crown, the goal is to make sure it feels like how the old tooth felt. If the work is visible, we want to make it as close to invisible as possible while still being beautiful.
Without the entire team, our dentists wouldn’t be able to serve the patients in the way they do. Because dentists see so many patients within a day, it takes the entire office to work together efficiently and provide the best patient care possible. They give the dental team the support they need through competitive salaries, training, and open communication. By making sure our team is well-supported, our dentists can better support our patients.
Dental Support Staff
Along with our dental assistants, hygienists, and dentists, we also have financial coordinators and scheduling coordinators that are an integral part of our practice. The scheduling coordinators help our practice by working with the patient to find a time that best suits the patient’s needs and works well for the practice. They interact with the patients on confirmations to make sure they know how to get to the office and complete the paperwork. Financial coordinators help the practice by understanding each patient’s insurance and coverage, ensuring we receive payments from patients and insurance companies. Our financial coordinators can also help patients with financial planning for their dental treatments if they need assistance.
Meet Our Dental Team
From our dentists that our patients primarily come to see to our scheduling coordinators that set appointments, every member of our dental team is an essential part of our practice. Call today to schedule an appointment and meet us!
At Cedarwood Dentistry, we cultivate dental health through personalized care. We offer a variety of dental services, including family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and emergency care in Midlothian, Virginia. Whether you last visited the dentist six months or six years ago, we can help bring your smile to life. Schedule your dentist appointment today by calling 804-379-9375.