"Doc, I'm gonna have to think about it...."

Our patients generally do not say, “I’m so glad I waited to get this procedure done.” Instead we have heard “I should have come in sooner, much sooner.”

There are many reasons that patients are putting off going to the dentist. In conversations with our patients over the years there have been a number of reasons why our patients are delaying dental treatment.

• Cost - Patients have put off dental treatment due to the cost of treatment.
• Time - People are working more and unable to take more time off of work.
• Fear - Some patients have fear of going to the dentist due to past experience or perceived experience about dental care.
• No Pain - Some patients believe that the only time to go see the dentist is if there is pain or a problem.
• Insurance - lack of insurance or lack of services being covered by insurance is another reason why patients are putting off treatment.
• Philosophy - Some patients’ beliefs and some practices’ beliefs simply cannot come into harmony.

These are all real concerns and all of these reasons have their benefits and consequences. Your dental concerns should always be discussed with your dentist. Delaying dental treatment will always be a great short-term solution. Unfortunately, in dentistry, a condition has never improved by doing nothing. Delaying treatment only kicks the can down the road until there is a problem - it’s usually painful, more time-consuming, more expensive or an irreparable damage is done - leading to more extensive treatment.

So, what can you expect at Willow Tree Dental?

The good news is that most dental teams want to help patients achieve their dental health goals. Talk to your dentist about your concerns. He or she wants to address your concerns and help you. If you would like a second opinion, seek one out with a dentist that you trust. Ultimately, all of us at Willow Tree Dental want you to do what is best for you and your situation.

What can Dr Aashish and Dr Rupal Bhakta do for you?

Helping our patients achieve their dental health goals is our primary goal. Dental payment plan options are available that work within a patient’s budget to help pay for treatment. A range of dental sedation options are available for those patients with anxiety or fear of dental visits. There are ways to phase treatments over time and there are ways to complete dentistry in fewer appointments. We work with many specialists in the area for those times that a patient's care requires a team approach. Ultimately, there are many options. We just need to understand your goals. Let’s discuss!