How To Find A Veterinarian Dentist

Just like their human companions, pets need to visit the dentist on a regular basis for exams and teeth cleaning services. The process is a lot more involved for dogs and cats than humans, however, so it takes a particularly skilled professional to handle the dental care needs of your pets. For total peace of mind, you can entrust your pets’ dental care procedures to a veterinary dentist. To acquire this level of care for your pets, you can utilize the following guide on how to find a pet dentist.

How to Find a Veterinary Dentist for Your Pet

The effort you put into finding a great veterinary dentist will pay off in dividends through the quality of care your pets receive. Start your search today to give your pets’ the best dental care possible year after year.

Look for Licensed Veterinary Dentists in Your Area

You should ensure you acquire services from a veterinary dentist licensed to work in your state by looking through the American Veterinary Dental College directory. This directory shows all of the pet dentists in your area that has passed their board examinations to earn the right to treat all species. These board-certified veterinary dentists will offer your pet the highest quality of care.

Ask Friends and Family for Referrals

If you prefer to take a more personal route, you can ask your friends and family for referrals to trusted pet dentists in your region. Your friends and family will offer stories of their experiences with pet dentists to help you choose the right expert for your canine and feline companions. Since you cannot be sure if the recommendations are for board-certified pet dentists, cross-check the referrals against the directory listings to verify all candidates’ credentials before moving forward.

Review All Candidates’ Credentials and Experience

You cannot go wrong in reviewing all candidates’ credentials and experience before choosing a pet dentist. You should make sure that your veterinary dentist of choice is licensed to provide care in your state and for the species of pets, you have. You should also check that the pet dentists are board certified and have plenty of experience under their belts.

Look for Online Reviews for Confirmation

Once you have a few veterinary dentists in mind, you can look online for reviews to confirm your initial findings. Take an honest look at both sides of the equation while reading reviews to create a fair picture of the pet dentists in question. Look for reviews that position the pet dentist as a leader in their industry and one of the best choices in your region.

Schedule a Consultation Appointment

Once you have selected a pet dentist, call the front desk to schedule a consultation appointment. At this initial appointment, you can assess whether the pet dentist will be a good fit for you and your pets. Look at important factors, such as knowledge, expertise and bedside manner, to best utilize your observations in the decision-making process. During the appointment feel free to ask about their care approach and overall passion for the job to gauge their suitability as your pets’ dentist of choice.

Your efforts will be well-rewarded in this realm, as you can give your pets’ the absolute best in dental care by partnering with a knowledgeable veterinary dentist. This professional will help make sure your pet enjoys healthy teeth and gums through every stage of life.

Care Services Provided by Veterinary Dentists

Comprehensive care services provided by veterinary dentists can help your pets retain their oral health. Veterinary dentists can prevent and treat a wide variety of conditions affecting the teeth, gums and other oral tissues.

Regular visits to a skilled pet dentist are an important part of a great oral hygiene routine for your pets. During these visits, your pet will receive a thorough dental examination and teeth cleaning. The examination can help reveal developing dental health conditions in need of treatment. With the findings from the exam, pet dentists can offer care recommendations that help you stay on top of your pets’ dental health.

Veterinary dentists perform the routine examination and teeth cleaning procedure with your pet under general anesthesia. To ensure a great outcome, your pet will receive a pre-anesthetic workup to rule out key risk factors. While under anesthesia, your vet will complete the examination, including x-rays if needed, to look for signs of tooth decay, gum disease, and other dental health conditions.

Then, your pets’ teeth will receive a complete cleaning using ultrasonic scaling, which fully removes hardened plaque on the teeth. Hand scaling is completed next to remove tartar from just below the gumline and clear out the periodontal pockets. If any problems are found during the exam, your veterinary dentist can perform restorative techniques to repair the teeth and gums.

Upon completing the routine exam and teeth cleaning, your veterinary dentist can help you establish a great at-home dental care routine for your pet. You can work with your pets’ dentist to find the best level of care for your furry friends.

Start Your Veterinary Dentist Search to Best Support Your Pets’ Dental Health

You should begin your search for a veterinary dentist as soon as you can best support your pets’ dental health needs. You can simply hop onto the American Veterinary Dental College directory to start building your list of eligible candidates. As you narrow down your options, you will come ever closer to giving your pets the dental care they need and deserve. Get started today to help your pets thrive day after day.

 

What to Do Between Cleanings

In between cleanings and visits to pet dentists, it is important to keep your pet's teeth clean, and gums healthy. Petsmile Professional Pet Toothpaste is so easy to use. Simply apply Petsmile Professional Toothpaste to your pet’s teeth.  Your cat or dog’s tongue will do the rest and swirl Petsmile around their mouth.  The proprietary technology, Calprox will gently dissolve the protein pellicle a bio-film that forms on your pet’s teeth which plaque and stains adhere to.  Your cat or dog will love the taste and quickly learn to enjoy having their teeth cleaned on a regular basis at home. Owners even use Petsmile as a treat. Your pet will soon look forward to having their teeth cleaned daily!