One of the key elements of a good dentist-patient relationship is trust. Many people choose a dentist based on an ad in the yellow pages, a google search, or from a directory of providers on their dental insurance plan, but choosing the right dentist that makes you comfortable, treats you well, and makes you want to come back is not that simple. Dr. Jim Erpenbach believes that it is important for dentists and their patients to have a mutual trust and respect.
By stepping foot in a dentist’s chair, you are giving the dentist and his or her staff a great deal of power and control over you. You are trusting that they are going to find and appropriately treat your gum disease, cavities, and any other oral problems they see. You are trusting that they are not going to recommend and charge you for unnecessary work that doesn’t fit within your budget. You are trusting them to manage any potential pain the procedure might cause, and in the event you are put under general anesthesia you are trusting them with your unconscious body.
If any one facet of this trust is breached, it can turn a routine dental experience into one that is traumatic emotionally, financially, or physically, and can keep patients from coming back to get the routine care they need for years, decades even. Every year, more studies come out linking more chronic diseases and increased health risks such as heart attack and stroke to oral bacteria. This means that the trauma that keeps you out of the dentist’s office today could be seriously damaging to your overall health in years to come.
Dr. Erpenbach makes a point to spend quality time with each patient explaining every decision, how much it will cost and what to expect before the work takes place. Our staff prides itself on getting to know our patients as individuals and establish clear pathways for communication before, during and after care. To learn more, contact our office at 865-584-8630.
