There is no perfect dentist

  • N. Gerrard
UK: Glazer-Kennedy Publishing price $14.95; pp 154 ISBN 9780982859001 | ISBN: 978-0-9828-5900-1

This book sets out with the aim of helping members of the public choose a dentist which suits them. The book is well thought out and covers an array of common issues encountered in an average dental practice including everything from what should be checked in the initial consultation to the use of sedation and general anaesthetic in dentistry. The glossary of terms at the rear of the book provides the reader with clear and concise definitions of the more commonly used dental jargon and those which are used in the main text of the book. The book is well laid out, easy to read and flows well from one topic to another. However, I feel that the main aim of the book – choosing the right dentist for you – is forced to take a back seat to everything else the reader has to sift through. The user-friendly structure and the detailed contents page certainly makes this easier but the book will do little to encourage even those people who have failed to attend for a basic examination for many years. A single chapter on actually deciding on which dentist is right for you is disappointing considering the title of the book and what it portrays itself to be. It does, however, provide the reader with an excellent overview of how dentistry actually works and an insight into what is actually involved in cosmetic and aesthetic dentistry which are some of the more burning issues which patients are often inquisitive about. Most people will be subjective when it comes to deciding who they trust with the care of their oral health and although the key questions outlined by the book provide a good mould for any dentist to adhere to, readers are unlikely to feel assured until they find a dentist who fits into their own conception of the 'right' dentist.