Moving to a new city is always a little stressful at first. But your move might be even more stressful if you’re moving with kids. Children are uprooted when you move to a new city and may experience a rocky adjustment period that can be emotionally challenging. They’ll need to relax into a new house, a new neighborhood, new friends, and of course a new school. Another issue that can come up on the parents’ end is finding the right school for their children in the new city. But that’s not the only decision necessary; before settling in, a parent needs to find a new pediatrician and dentist for their kids. This can come with quite a few issues, and parents understandably can get quite stressed when making this kind of call. Pediatricians and dentists are not only responsible for the health of your child, but for other aspects of their lives as well. The cosmetic appearance of your child’s teeth, and their corresponding confidence that will come with a great smile, are dependent on the dentist that you choose. Your child’s pediatrician will not only take care of them directly but “train” them to trust doctors and to take care of their bodies in the future. Furthermore, without a pediatrician, it can be difficult for your child to get the physicals and vaccines necessary to go to public school.
You’ll probably start your search online; after all, about 77% of patients rely on online reviews when trying to find new healthcare providers. But it’s easy for your search to become overwhelming; how do you know that a pediatrician or dentist is worth a try? With that being said, let’s look into how you can best plan out your search for a pediatrician or dentist. The more educated your search, the easier it will be for you to find the right healthcare providers the first time around, rather than trying provider after provider.
1. Start Your Research Early
It’s easy to try and put off your search for a pediatrician or dentist until after you’ve moved. But if you put off your search one time, you’ll be likely to put it off a second time. For that matter, a lot of people find it much harder to do this kind of research after a move has happened, as they’re busy adjusting to a new city. If you handle this kind of thing in a more measured way, ahead of the move, you can also talk to your current provider about their potential recommendations. As it’s crucial for people of all ages to go in for their dental checkups every six months, you might want to take this time to see if your current dentist has a dentist to recommend in your next city. Ask the same of your child’s pediatrician. Many dentists and pediatricians are a part of the same networks, and if you can trust their recommendations, it will make your search much easier.
2. Scrutinize Credentials
Of course, even if a dentist does recognize their colleague in your new city, that doesn’t mean that this dentist is right for you. With that being said, you need to do some individualized research on everyone that you’re considering. Now might be the time for you to explore the benefits of going to different healthcare providers, with more advanced skills and qualifications. This is especially true if your child had specific needs. For example, if you’re looking for a new dentist, why not consider seeing a dentist that is also an orthodontist? With about 20% of the entire population not having an ideal bite, orthodontists are incredibly important. Therefore, you should think about taking this time to look up certifications offered by different dentists and pediatricians.
3. Look Up Their Insurance Requirements — And Availability
Just because you want to work with a specific doctor or dentist doesn’t mean that they will be available to you. The best ones can sometimes be difficult to get in touch with. First, make sure that the doctor or dentist you want to work with takes your insurance. For that matter, consider seeing if they offer financing for specific procedures that might not be completely covered, like the application of Invisalign braces in the case of dentists or orthodontists. Next, check their availability. You can take some time to wait for the perfect pediatrician or dentist, but you can’t wait too long. Availability does matter, and you may need to move on to your second choice if necessary.
4. Build A Rapport
Sometimes, building a rapport is necessary with a dentist or pediatrician. It might not happen instantly, and in that case, you would have to take the time to get to know them and to ensure that your kids like them. It’s difficult for children to feel comfortable with their doctors or dentists sometimes. But they need to feel able to trust them. It can take a bone fracture, for example, about two to 10 weeks to heal. During a recovery like that, or even a minor procedure, kids need to feel like they can communicate easily with their care providers, as well as the surrounding support team. While it can take a time to tell whether or not your child is going to establish a rapport with their care provider, you shouldn’t dismiss this aspect of finding a dentist or pediatrician.
5. Look At Hospitals
It’s not just about finding an individual care provider. You also need to look into bigger hospitals in your new city, as well as bigger dental clinics. There are a lot of factors that go into finding the right care provider, clearly. And part of that has to do with the place at which they work. Don’t ignore this part of your search!
Many issues need to be considered as you choose new care providers after your move. But ultimately, the important thing to remember is that this care provider doesn’t just need to work for you; but for your kids as well!
