When it comes to dental implant treatment, it’s important to find a professional who you can trust has your best interests at heart. Finding a dentist you feel comfortable with can make getting implants less intimidating. Got questions about dental implant treatment, get in touch with our friendly team today.

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Whether you’ve moved to a new area, you’re unhappy with your current dentist or you need someone with reputable dental implant experience, here are 8 things to look for in a dental surgeon and dental implant clinic.

1. Accreditation

A way to check the reputation of a dental practice is to check whether they hold any accreditations.

A HDAA Accredited Dental Practice (Health and Human Services Accreditation Agency) works with the Australian Dental Association (ADA) to define national standards that dentists should meet, in line with National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.

Assessment for HDAA accreditation is voluntary, but it shows that a practice is committed to patient safety and continuous quality improvement, so you’ll know that your dental implant treatment is in safe hands.

Head Dentist, Dr Dave Norcross holds accreditation as an All-On-4® Centre of Excellence. one of only a handful of All-On-4® Centres of Excellence across Australia, it demonstrates our surgical experience and completed training in All-On-4® techniques using genuine Nobel BioCare dental implants and regards a clinic as a trusted source.

2. Qualifications and experience

Placing dental implants is one of the more complex dental procedures, requiring a high level of expertise. Since standard dental degrees don’t cover dental implants, dentists who offer implant treatments must complete additional training in order to be qualified.

Dental implants are not a registered specialty field in Australia, meaning anyone with any amount of experience can provide them. That’s why it’s important to check that your dentist has completed the additional training and has adequate experience providing successful implant surgeries, so you can feel confident that you’re in safe hands.

It’s also worth noting that while many dentists describe themselves as implant dentists, the Australian Dental Association does not recognise this title as a specialty field. All implant dentists are general dentists, unless they hold a specialist registration.

3. Infection control measures

The coronavirus pandemic highlighted the importance of infection control measures in all healthcare facilities, but this should always be a priority in dental clinics, especially when oral surgery is being performed.

As a patient, you need to feel confident that visiting the dentist for check-ups or treatments won’t put your health at risk. It’s the clinic’s responsibility to do everything they can to prevent the transmission of infections and diseases.

All registered dentists in Australia are legally required to follow mandatory infection control guidelines set by the Dental Board of Australia.

Unfortunately, many overseas dentists aren’t held to the same high standards, and Australians who head abroad for cheap dental implants are at higher risk of complications from surgery. That’s why the ADA and other health bodies strongly discourage dental tourism, which can work out more expensive and damaging if something goes wrong.

Learn more about the dangers of dental tourism in our blog, Are Overseas Dental Implants Safe?

4. Latest technology

Dental equipment and technology are advancing all the time, and clinics that stay up-to-date with these developments can offer improved results, comfort and safety to their patients.

 

If you’re considering dental implant treatment, it’s worth checking whether your dentist uses 3D imaging systems and surgical guides that offer detailed impressions of the mouth to enable more precise treatment planning. You should also check the quality of dental implant systems and tooth materials used and whether these are backed up by clinical research.

5. Personalised care

A good dentist shows empathy and provides personalised care for their patients. Their recommendations should be tailored to your specific needs and work within your budget, not trying to upsell treatments you can’t afford, with comprehensive aftercare helping to make sure you get the best results from your dental implant treatment.

 

You should get an idea of your dentist’s personality and chairside manner during your consultation. If you have dental anxiety, your dentist should be able to offer solutions such as oral sedation, sleep dentistry or treatment under general anaesthesia to help you get the care you need.

6. Answers your questions

Your dentist should give you all the information you need about what the dental implant procedure involves so you can decide whether it’s right for you.

They should give you a clear and realistic idea of what to expect during and after the treatment, and be upfront about costs and any complications or side effects that may be involved. They should also be willing to answer questions about dental implant system options and how long tooth materials can last so you’ll be able to make fully informed decisions for yourself.

7. Transparent pricing and assistance

Dental implant costs and inclusions vary by the complexity of the treatment, the type of implants used, tooth materials used, additional treatments needed for a successful outcome (like bone grafting or gum lifts) and other factors, but you need to have a good idea of what a treatment will cost before you take the next step. Dental implant treatment is about being able to maintain your new teeth for life, this means replacements, repairs, relines and regular professional cleaning.

Your dentist should be transparent about pricing and the quote you receive should include all associated costs (including sedation, hospital and maintenance costs) so you won’t have any surprises later.

If you need some help financing your treatment, check whether the clinic is a preferred provider for your health fund, whether they can help you to apply for early release of superannuation and what costs can be claimed on private health insurance. You can also ask if they offer interest-free payment plans that can help to make upfront costs easier to manage.

8. Location

Finally, you should also check the locations that your dentist operates from, to make sure they’re convenient to visit, and see whether their website includes information about public transport and parking nearby.

Dental implants in Perth

If you’re missing one or more teeth and considering dental implants, Perth Dental Implant Centre operates out of two convenient locations in Perth: Kelmscott Dental in Kelmscott and EVP Dental in East Victoria Park.

Dr David Norcross (BChD) has over a decade of experience in advanced restorative, cosmetic and implant dentistry. Having completed an Advanced Restorative Course at the North of England Dental Academy, a course in Implant Dentistry accredited by the British Academy of Dental Implantology and a Master Clinician in Implant Dentistry Programme gaining certificates from the Global Institute for Dental Education (gIDE) and UCLA.

David has spent time at MALO clinic in Melbourne and Portugal (the home of All-on-4) learning about the advanced techniques of All-On-4 full mouth rehabilitation and is proud to be accredited an All-On-4 Centre of Excellence by Nobel Biocare, one of only a handful of clinics in Australia.

Extensive training, skills and passion for implant dentistry, coupled with positive patient outcomes has earned Dr Norcross a favourable reputation as one of Perth’s best dentists placing implants. Read more about Dr Norcross here.

To find out more about our dental implant treatments, or to book a consultation with Dr David Norcross, call our clinic on 1300 108 133 to book at our Kelmscott or East Vic Park clinic. You can also book online and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.