SPECIAL REPORT Top 10 Things You Need To Know Before Choosing Your Periodontist Top 10 Things You Need To Know Before Choosing Your Periodontist by Dr. Bruce Crawford 1
Introductory Letter from Dr. Crawford Dear Friend, If you are searching for a periodontist for yourself or a loved one, you are in the right place. Just like every mouth is different, each periodontal practice is different. It's important to find an experienced periodontist who helps you understand your symptoms and options, so you get the very best treatment. To help in your search for a periodontist, I have put together this report, The Top 10 Things You Should Know Before Choosing Your Periodontist. In it, you will find the most necessary principles expected of a periodontist and their staff. You may find a periodontist that meets some of these standards, but it's best to find one that meets all of them! With the advanced technology we offer, you can speed up your treatment time with less visits. Our practice is also the only periodontal office in St. Petersburg, FL offering the revolutionary Pinhole Surgical Technique, a minimally invasive gum recession treatment alternative! I will personally meet with you during every appointment to discuss the solutions we offer, to help you make the most appropriate treatment choice for you or your loved one. Ultimately, my goal is to help you make the best possible choice when it comes to choosing a periodontist. Even if you decide we are not the best fit for you, I hope you find this report helpful in your search for the right periodontist. Sincerely, P.S. When you are ready, I urge you to call 727-231-5908 to schedule your initial consultation, which includes a complimentary copy of my book! 2
Table of Contents Introductory Letter from Dr. Burleson... 2 1. Do They Take a Consultative Approach?... 4 2. Do They Use the Latest Technology and Treatment Solutions?... 5 3. Do They Offer Alternative Treatment?... 6 4. Do They Offer an Alternative to Gum Grafting?... 7 5. Do They Make You Feel Comfortable?... 8 6. Do They Have Experience?... 9 7. Do They Give Back to The Community?... 10 8. Do They Undergo Additional Training?... 11 9. Do They Have Before/After Pictures They Show You?... 12 10. Do They Accept Most Insurances?... 13 11. Bonus: Do They Have Flexible Payment Options?... 14 Closing Letter from Dr. Bruce Crawford... 15 3
1 Do They Take a Consultative Approach? When you first visit a periodontal office, you may be concerned about how the doctor will treat you during your appointment. Will they spend time getting to know you and listening to your concerns, or will they rush through, not allowing you to give your input on treatment matters? It's important that the periodontist you choose takes the time to learn about your specific case and symptoms, because every case is different. Not all treatments are right for every single person. Whether you are experiencing gum disease or you're looking for implants, your treatment plan should be drawn up to reflect what is best for you. And you should always play a part in making these decisions. Dr. Crawford understands how important it is to listen, because no one understands your oral health concerns and desires better than you. At Crawford Dental, we truly care about our patients. We take the time to get to know you and listen to your concerns, because we want to provide the most appropriate treatment solutions available. By keeping up with the most innovation technology, we are able to offer you solutions to speed up treatment and recovery time. You are the most important player in your treatment process. 4
2 Do They Use the Latest Technology and Treatment Solutions? Periodontal care today differs a great deal from years ago. Advances in technology make it possible to provide quicker, more effective treatment options to so you can obtain a healthy mouth in less time. When choosing a periodontist, you want to be sure they are trained and knowledgeable when it comes to the latest technology utilized to treat you or your loved one. This can make all the difference in the world when it comes to the end result of your treatment process. Crawford Dental utilizes the most advanced technology to offer you the best treatment options available! At Crawford Dental, we work with the most advanced and innovative technology available to ensure the fastest transformative results. We offer innovative treatment solutions so you decide which option is the best one for you. 5
3 Do They Offer Alternative Treatment? At most periodontal practices, traditional therapies are made available but you may be limited when it comes to alternative treatments. Alternative treatments for can provide a shorter treatment time, with less pain, and an easier recovery period. More and more patients are opting for these procedures quickly making the alternatives the new norm. At Crawford Dental you benefit from the most significant advances ever made in periodontics, including the Teeth in a Day Implant and revolutionary Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation. Dr. Crawford and his staff bring the expertise, experience and care necessary to help you make the best decision for your oral health and your life. We offer the most advanced alternatives treatments available! 6
4 Do They Offer an Alternative to Gum Grafting? When it comes to choosing a periodontist, you should ensure that the office can offer an alternative to gum grafting in-house if you are suffering from or likely to suffer from gum disease. There are many solutions for treating gum disease, however, once the tissue is no longer salvageable, you must replace the tissue in order to prevent tooth loss. One solution is gum grafting, which is typically a lengthy process involving several appointments. Additionally, many periodontists cannot perform gum grafting in-house, requiring a referral to a dental surgeon. Dr. Crawford believes that your pain should be relieved to truly begin healing! Dr. Crawford in St. Petersburg, FL, offers a Pinhole Surgical Technique designed to bring comfort back to inflamed and painful areas. The Pinhole Surgical Technique bypasses stitches and utilizes the surrounding gum tissue to help rebuild the gum tissue that is receding. Additionally, the procedure typically takes less than 2 hours with little to no down time! 7
5 Do They Make You Feel Comfortable? When searching for a periodontist, you may find yourself wondering what kind of atmosphere or environment the office has. Is it comfortable and accommodating? Is the staff friendly and helpful? It is important that you feel overall comfortable with the staff, as you often spend more time with them than the periodontist throughout your treatment. At Crawford Dental, every new patient receives a gift just for coming in! At Crawford Dental, not only do we commit to making you feel comfortable, we go above and beyond to ensure you have the best possible experience every time you visit. Upon arriving at your appointment, you will be given a tour of our state-of-the-art facilities. Our special comfort menu allows you to choose what might help during your treatment process, including massaging dental chairs, Bose noise cancelling headphones, relaxing music, blankets, tea or water. Our patients are important to us, so as a thank you for visiting our office we give you a gift at your initial appointment! At Crawford Dental, our team will go the extra mile to make your visit professional and comfortable. 8
6 Do They Have Experience? When it comes to your oral health, you want to know you are in good hands. Whether you are seeking laser periodontal care, implants, or gum recession treatment, it's important to find a specialist with the right solutions and training to provide you with the best results. The Crawford team has helped over thousands of patients restore their health and smiles! With thousands of patients helped throughout Florida over the past 25 years, Dr. Crawford and the team at Crawford Dental team have the experience and expertise to truly change your life. An experienced periodontist and clinical professor who uses the most up-to-date technology and treatments, Dr. Crawford can help you choose the best option for your specific case. 9
7 Do They Give Back to The Community? When a periodontal practice donates to charity, it shows that they truly care about people and their community. Dr. Crawford gives back to his community, which extends much further than greater St. Petersburg, FL. Dr. Crawford has contributed to many organizations, including Samaritan's Purse, Door of Hope, Wounded Warriors Project, New Life Solutions, and Potter s Field Ministries. Dr. Crawford has made mission trips to Guatemala, Ireland, Belgium, Honduras and Romania. When it comes to giving back, Dr. Crawford has never hesitated to lend his time, resources, skills, and heart to his community. 10
8 Do They Undergo Additional Training? When choosing the right periodontist for you, it's important to know if the staff members undergo special training to provide you with expert care. A well-trained periodontal team makes all the difference in your treatment experience and results. The Crawford team participates in regular, ongoing training to better help our patients. Dr. Crawford's tireless desire to further his skills and expertise is something shared by his entire staff. Our goal is to keep up with the latest technology and periodontal procedures, so we can provide you with the best customer service and most effective treatment available for the best results! At Crawford Dental, we are always looking to bring further advances and knowledge together with experience to provide you with better care! 11
9 Do They Have Before/After Pictures They Show You? One sign of a great specialist is that they can show you a before and after of a similar case to yours that they have previously helped. We know all mouths are different, but in the thousands of lives and smiles we have transformed for over 25 years, we can show you a similar case with spectacular results! Dr. Crawford s treatment results are on full display with before and after pictures. All the patients who have had their smiles, the health of their mouths and their lives transformed. Dr. Crawford and his staff look to do the same for you. Before After 12
10 Do They Accept Most Insurances? When it comes to choosing a periodontist, it's important to know if they accept your dental insurance. Some offices don t accept insurances, so you should always ask so you don't get hit with a huge bill later on. At Crawford Dental, we accept most insurance plans. Our helpful team will file claims for you if you have dental insurance, so you don't have to worry about it. We will also handle any follow-ups or appeals as needed. Your insurance coverage determines the amount that will be paid. We are happy to do what we can to help you make the best use of your insurance benefits. At all times, you can be confident that we will always provide you with our best services without regard to the limitations imposed by your insurance coverage. That is our commitment to you as our patient. We accept most insurances, to make treatment possible! 13
11 Bonus: Do They Have Flexible Payment Options? We realize this report was only supposed to include 10 items, but we know how important payment options are when making a decision on a periodontist. When it comes to any procedure concerning your health, cost can be a big concern. Like many doctors offices, when you receive periodontal services, you typically receive a bill. This bill can often be overwhelming and cause you to think twice about being proactive with periodontal procedures for you or another loved one. If the cost of a procedure is unaffordable, how can you get the treatment needed? At Crawford Dental, you always have payment options. At Crawford Dental, we offer various payment options so you don't have to sacrifice expert care for affordable treatment. Our mission is to provide you with affordable, high-quality treatment that fits your budget. We accept most major insurances to cover the cost of your treatment. We even file the claim for you, so you don't have to worry about it! If there are any remaining balances, we offer financing options such as Care Credit, with payment plans tailored to your budget. Our goal is to maximize your insurance benefits and make any remaining balance manageable. Your health should never be put on hold due to cost, and we work to provide the most flexible payment offers available to you. 14
Closing Letter from Dr. Bruce Crawford Dear Friend, I hope you found this report informative. I understand there is a lot to consider when choosing a periodontist for yourself or another loved one. I simply want to answer your questions, address your concerns, and give you the periodontist experience you deserve. During your visit, I will personally meet to help you decide upon the best treatment option for you or your loved one. I will answer any and all questions you may have regarding the treatment process from start to finish. You can be assured that we'll be there to assist you during the entire treatment process. We want you to feel as comfortable and informed as possible every step of the way. I feel the utmost pride as my team and I are able to transform smiles and lives every day. Our goal is to decide upon. provide a fun, caring environment and experience that leaves you feeling confident in your treatment choice. Obviously, there may be other things you should know before choosing your periodontist. In fact, I am sure I could have easily doubled this report, but I am confident its contents will help you choose your periodontist. We are always here to answer your questions and help you decide if our St. Petersburg, FL practice is the right choice for you or your loved one. Sincerely, Dr. Crawford & Team I certainly recommend you do your research, but ultimately, you have to trust the periodontist and type of treatment you P.S. When you are ready, call 727-231-5908 to schedule your initial consultation, which includes a complimentary copy of my book! 15
16 Top 10 Things You Need To Know Before Choosing Your Periodontist