What to Look for in a Dentist

Having a smile you feel dissatisfied with can impact your quality of life more than you realize. Whether you have stained teeth, a chipped tooth, a wide gap between your two front teeth, or another common cosmetic dentistry issue, it can affect your self-esteem and hold you back from smiling. Others may perceive you as unfriendly when this isn’t the case at all. Fortunately, most cosmetic dentistry procedures are fast, painless, and can make an immediate difference in how you present yourself to the world.

Choosing the Best Cosmetic Dentist to Complete Your Procedure

In some ways, deciding to move ahead with a procedure such as teeth whitening or dental veneers is the easy part. It can be more challenging to select the most qualified cosmetic dentist for the job. At Oasis Prosthodontics, we recommend that you start by making sure that the cosmetic dentist has an impressive portfolio of education, experience, and accomplishments.

Dr. Marina Funtik has been in the dentistry field since she was 19 years old. This is when she completed her local training to become a certified dental assistant. She then received a full scholarship to St. Lawrence University where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree. She graduated in the top one percent of her class.

For dental school, Dr. Funtik attended the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. She obtained specialty training in prosthodontics while a student here and received an award for demonstrating outstanding clinical skills. You can learn more about Dr. Funtik’s awards and accomplishments here.

Ask for a Portfolio and References

A good cosmetic dentist should feel proud of his or her work and happy to show pictures to anyone who asks. One way to get a feel for the quality of a dentist’s work is to ask to see before and after pictures of patients who have completed the same procedure that you’re considering. Of course, the dentist will need to protect patient privacy by only showing the mouth in pictures but that should be enough to help you make your decision.

Additionally, don’t hesitate to ask for personal references from past patients and even other dentists who have worked with him or her. Online reviews are often an excellent method for determining what you can expect from a dental staff or clinic because they’re completely unsolicited. Oasis Prosthodontics currently maintains a five-star rating with no negative reviews posted at all.

Look for Modern Technology in the Dental Office

A high-quality cosmetic dentist continually invests in new technology and training. After all, he or she can’t produce the same results as a competitor using equipment that’s more than a decade old. When you visit a cosmetic dentist for a consultation, ask about the type of equipment he or she will use for your procedure. Digital X-rays are a good example of modern dental technology that greatly surpasses conventional film X-rays in terms of accuracy, convenience, and processing time. From Cone Beam CT Imaging to Intra-Oral Cameras, we’re heavily invested in offering the latest dental technology at Oasis Prosthodontics. You can learn more about each technology here.

A Patient-Focused Dental Team

You should always feel that the dentist and his or her assistants listen to you and take your concerns seriously. A dentist who interrupts, talks over you, or dismisses your questions as unimportant is not one you want to see a second time. When you schedule an appointment for a consultation, you should expect the dentist’s complete and one-on-one attention the entire time. While distractions are sure to arise, look for a dentist who explains that he or she will deal with those issues after finishing the appointment with you.

It’s also important to work with someone who offers a customized treatment plan. You may want the exact cosmetic procedure as a friend, but that doesn’t mean your dentist should approach it the same way. Look for indications that the dentist is willing to create a treatment plan for you as the unique individual that you are.

We invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Funtik at our office in Colorado Springs by contacting Oasis Prosthodontics at 719-574-2417. We think you will find that she meets all of the above qualifications and then some.