One should beware of a dentist whose office is not clean; he is likely to be just as careless about sterilizing his instruments as he is sloppy in his work. A wise person who notes this will pick up his dentures and steal quietly away.
One should also be on guard against a dentist who would rather extract a tooth than send the patient to an endodontist to perform root canal work, arguing that the patient can get along without that tooth. A tooth that has been extracted is a part of the body that is now missing. Extra parts are not yet available for the human body.

GUIDELINES OF A QUALIFIED DENTIST
1.        He will always investigate in detail, not only the dental history of a new pa¬tient but more importantly his general health. He will ask the patient to complete a form sheet regarding all his past illnesses, his current state of health, his sensitivities, his abnormalities, whether he is a bleeder, whether he is allergic to certain medication such as penicillin. He will also do the same with children, inquiring of the parents whether the child has or has had any significant ailments such as rheumatic fever, for example, so that he can protect the young patient by using antibiotics in advance of treatment to prevent bacterial The Teeth, Gums, and jaws infection, which can be very serious in such a child.
2.        He will check the new patient’s mouth most carefully, noting the condition of the gums and always on the lookout for lesions and ulcers in the mouth or on the neck. He will check out each and every tooth and examine the existing dental work for reevaluation.
3.        He will take time to advise the patient on proper mouth hygiene; how to use a toothbrush correctly, what kind of brush, how to use water jet devices, and how to use dental floss.
4.        He will discuss with the patient fully what needs to be done in his mouth and advise him on alternate treatments-which procedures are better, which has least risk, which is least expensive.
5.        He will never hesitate to consult with another dentist or specialist if the patient thinks another opinion might be helpful. In which case he will cheerfully submit the X-ray film of the patient’s teeth to the con¬sulting dentist.
6.        He will ask for a reasonable fee commensurate with his skill and judgment and the amount of work he puts in; he is never exorbitant.