7 Red Flags to Avoid When Looking for an Orthodontic Clinic

Not all orthodontic clinics are the same. While some are amazing and do the work of taking care of their patients, some are neglectful and have a collection of red flags. Don’t let yourself receive improper care from a bad orthodontic clinic.

We have a collection of red flags to look out for, so you never have to give a bad orthodontic clinic any of your time or money. Always look out for these red flags so you don’t find your dental health being overlooked and neglected.

Overpricing Services

While some orthodontics services cost a lot of money, there is a point where those services become overpriced. Those without orthodontics insurance already have to pay a lot of money to get the smile that makes them happy.

Look at the average prices of dental procedures done at orthodontic clinics. This will give you a base price to look out for. If you see clinics that are charging way above the average price, that is a huge red flag that this clinic is looking out for money more than your orthodontic health.

You should also be aware of prices that seem way too low to be true. While many locations have very helpful orthodontic discount plans for those who don’t have the means of paying for services if a location is stating that their normal services cost so little, those services may not be of the best quality.

A Lack of Orthodontist Information

An orthodontist clinic should always have information about the orthodontists that work in that clinic available to the public. Usually, you should be able to find this information on the clinic’s website or by calling them.

If you can’t find any information about the people who would be working on your mouth, that is a red flag that the orthodontists at that clinic aren’t properly trained or are low quality.

Low-Quality Customer Service

You should feel cared about when you are at the orthodontist’s office. Any sort of medical field requires you to be vulnerable in some way, and your medical professional should do their best to ease your worries and make you feel comfortable.

If you call the orthodontist clinic and the receptionist is snippy and doesn’t want to give you the time of day to answer your questions, that’s a good insight into how the rest of the clinic would treat you. The clinic you go to shouldn’t treat you like a set of teeth to quickly work on and get money from. Instead, your questions should be answered and the orthodontists and receptionist should treat you like a person.

The Orthodontist Pushes Expensive Treatments or Unnecessary Procedures

While your orthodontist should advocate for your health and recommend treatments that will better your dental health, some orthodontists with red flags will try to push unnecessary treatments just to make more money.

First, if your orthodontist is trying to sell you a bunch of extras (like vitamins or specific toothbrushes) and they are pushing you to make the purchase, it is best to look elsewhere for your dental health. Also, be aware of an orthodontist trying to push expensive cosmetic treatments on you like caps and extensive procedures.

Of course, if you bring up these procedures or express your desire for cosmetic treatments, then it is good that your orthodontist is bringing up options. Just be aware of low-quality orthodontists pushing what’s unnecessary.

The Orthodontist Won’t Show You Previous Work

If you are looking to get any treatment done, you should see what kind of work the orthodontist has done in the past. Not every dentist is going to have a wall of pictures of different procedures on their wall, but they should have images available for request at the very least.

First, take a look at the orthodontist clinic’s website. On the website, there should be images of previous work with each type of procedure available through the clinic. In the office, if you are looking to get any work done, ask your orthodontist for past photos. If they refuse to show you any photos and you can’t find any on the website, that is a huge red flag.

Lack of Cleanliness

This is a huge red flag for any medical professional’s office. If you are in an orthodontic clinic and it is visibly dirty, that is a huge sign that they do not take sanitary precautions and that is extremely dangerous. There are so many horrible consequences that can come from having healthcare in unsanitary conditions.

Don’t ever go to an orthodontist if the building, office, and tools are unsanitary. While we hope that this would never happen, if an orthodontist tries to do work on you without gloves, get out of there immediately.

Too Far Away

This is more about convenience than necessarily a red flag. You don’t want to have to drive for hours to get to your orthodontist. That is incredibly inconvenient and can exhaust you before your appointment.

Also, make sure that your orthodontist is in an accessible location. If the parking is extremely inconvenient or your orthodontist seems like a “hole in the wall” location, it is best to look for a different clinic.

Avoid These Red Flags with Orthodontics Limited

You can avoid all of the red flags listed above if you schedule a consultation with Orthodontics Limited. This clinic is high quality and has been highly rated for a long time. The orthodontists at this clinic will put you and your teeth first while always treating you like a person.

Orthodontics Limited has financial options for everyone. If you ever have questions, you can simply call and ask. Your questions will never be shut down and you will always get a good answer. The orthodontists will never push unnecessary treatments on you in the search for money.

With Orthodontics Limited, get the smile you love without any red flags throughout the process.