I recently came across a Buzzfeed article gone viral on Facebook- titled “27 Pictures That Will Make You Irrationally Mad at the World: Time to Hire a New Contractor.” As cautious as I am with clicking anything from my Facebook newsfeed, I clicked on it anyways, having a feeling that this was going to be a good one.

It was a collection of 27 flawed contractor decisions, forever venerated and inscribed in stone by a nearby camera’s shutter button. Perhaps the owner was stunned by the complexity (or simplicity?) of the flaws. Perhaps the owner was in utter disbelief. And oh how the collection of photographs made me mad! Just to describe a few: A floor of white mosaic tiles all over, with one black one that appears out of nowhere. A public restroom with five paper towel dispensers placed on the wall, but none equally spaced out or lining up with another, neither vertically nor horizontally! A dishwasher condemned to death because its door is blocked from opening by a kitchen wall. A room that provides no place of thoughtful processes or creative daydreaming, because its ceiling is adorned by randomly-placed light fixtures. The pictures make your jaw drop. You should google this and see it for yourself.

As entertaining as the pictures were, there lies a painful fact behind it all. Most professions in the world come with a sense of transparency where a client can see if a job is well done or not. The work and the results are visible to the eyes. And if your hire a professional that does something you don’t like (like the 27 owners mentioned above), you tell them to fix it or you find a new professional to do the job.

This is not the case with dentistry, however. Do you really know whether you dentist is doing a good job on your teeth or not? Can you see the quality of a filling or crown? Your only assurance of quality is that it doesn’t hurt anymore. While alleviating pain is a critical component of a dentist’s job, many times sub-quality work does not cause pain. It only causes increased expenses in the future.

The same goes with a dentist that does an extra good job inside your mouth. You don’t see that either. It’s for this simple fact that some dentists choose to bypass quality and do what is best for their pockets or for their schedule.

If you are a fellow dentist, join me in changing this landscape for our profession. Let us make our patients aware of the quality work we’ve delicately placed in their mouths. Let’s be transparent. Our profession and our patients deserve it.

If you are a consumer looking for a dentist who is committed to providing patients with quality of care, you’ve come to the right place, and we are ready to serve you. Contact Genuine Family Dentistry today at (714) 282-9131 or click here to request an appointment.

It really is time to hire a new contractor, or dentist.