Mari,

There is no way for a lay person to know if the dentist is technically skilled or not. Even when something looks esthetically good, it could still be bad underneath. I really wish there was a law that required all dentists to be randomly observed <without any warning> as a way to view their skill level on various procedures AND their sterilization protocols!! THAT would be a great way for a lay person to find a competent dentist.... don't you think?

Sometimes, the dentists that have the latest diagnostic equipment like an intraoral camera, digital xrays, microscope for checking bacteria.... tend to be more diligent and fussy with their work because they know it can be easily viewed by anyone else who has this equipment. Poor quality work shows up loud and clear on these things!

We tend to judge a dentist by how compassionate he/she is or if they offer a discount. When in fact, compassion is only a small (but important) aspect of his personality and many offer some form of a discount depending on the individual needs of the patient. The discount could be in the form of offering a long term payment plan with a finance company called Care Credit or Capital One..... others will accept credit cards.... and some give a small discount for cash or payment in full up front.

Generally the dentist who offers the latest technology is not necessarily more expensive than his peers.... he's just more into the technical end of the business which sometimes indicates a higher technical skill level. He is also someone who wants his patients to have the opportunity to have the best and most recent treatment possible.

However, there is an exception to every rule..... so you're back to square one with just a little bit more insight of how things are from the other side of the chair. =)

Bryanna