Finding a dental practice in the Circle City that meets your needs doesn't have to make your head spin. While dental procedures can be expensive, the bite they take out of your wallet can be minimized with some research and planning. Here's some helpful advice for sifting through all the Indianapolis dentists to find the right one.

As anyone who has shopped for a better price on insurance, a new vehicle, or any other major purchase knows, it pays (actually, it saves) to shop around. And while most people would agree that price shouldn't be the highest priority, with prices for a single root canal and crown topped with a base metal alloy between about $1,500 and $3,000, it's easy to see how cost might appear high on any such list.

And making a list should be literal, not figurative. Writing down a list is more reliable than memory for most people, and it has two added benefits: It compels you to consider the qualities you value most in a dentist and it can help to identify areas you would like to learn more about.

As a starter, the American Dental Association offers the following tips when mapping out your decisions about dental practices:

• What are the office hours? Are they convenient for your schedule?
• Is the office easy to get to from work or home?
• Where was the dentist educated and trained?
• What's the dentist's approach to preventive dentistry?
• How often does the dentist attend conferences and continuing education workshops?
• What type of anesthesia is the dentist certified to administer to help you relax and feel more comfortable during any necessary dental treatment?
• What arrangements are made for handling emergencies outside of office hours?
• Is information provided about all fees and payment plans before treatment is scheduled?
• If you are comparison shopping, ask for estimates on some common procedures such as full-mouth X-rays, an oral exam and cleaning, and filling a cavity.
• Does the dentist participate in your dental health plan?
• What is the dentist's office policy on missed appointments?

Once you have compiled your list, finding a dentist can be as easy as an Internet search away. Increasingly, many dentists maintain websites that outline their approach and treatment methods. In some instances, a site may even include a page of printable forms that can cut down on the time spent in a waiting room (or in the dentist's chair) staring down at a clipboard.

But it's also important to gather the input of friends, family members, even work acquaintances when it comes to weighing your options for a new dentist. Their mileage may vary, but it's their experience that counts.

Will That Be Gold -- or Alloy?

As long as the price of gold continues to stay in the stratosphere, expect that cost to be passed on to the dental consumer who needs a crown. Here, too, there is a potential cost savings to be had by using a base metal alloy rather than gold. For those without employer-sponsored insurance, a prepaid dental plan is a possible solution to help with payment. Again, plans can vary considerably, so it is worthwhile to compare them. What such plans have in common, however, is that they limit your selection of participating dentists. But since paring down the field to a few finalists is the ultimate goal, that may not be a bad thing.