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Choosing a pediatrician is one of the hardest things I have done. I admit I have been through 5 pediatricians with my four-year-old! That's partly because we moved to a new city. But still, my husband thinks I am picky. I do think this it' partly my problem. I ask a lot of questions. A big part of pediatrics has to do with opinions. So, I always want to know a doctors opinion on different topics. Most of the docs rush me along and get annoyed. Then, I get aggravated and switch pediatricians. It's our ritual. However, I have been happy with our latest kid doctor!
This question was posed to me by a reader: (I can totally relate!)
Hi there-I am a mom of 3 year old twins (boy & girl) and I recently moved to a new city (Louisville, KY). I spent the last 10 years living near Washington DC. I had a well established network of friends, doctors, business contacts, etc, but now I feel like I am starting from scratch. I have a topic for your site -- how do moms find all the necessary providers for their kids when they move to a new town where they don't know a soul? I need a pediatrician, pediatric dentist, preschool, you name it! I am trying to meet people through various moms groups, etc, but that is a challenge too. Maybe you could start a blog for how to find the best doctors for your kids when starting from scratch? I want to find a good one from a referral, but how do I know the new people I meet are reputable and their referrals are reputable? It is so hard! Just thought that might be an interesting topic...Thanks
Jennifer LathropTeam Manager, Tastefully Simple
Call the local pediatric hospital. The nurses deal with the pediatricians and they know which ones are good. Just tell them you know they're not supposed to show preferential treatment, but you are new in town and just want information. 21st Century Parenting suggests scheduling an interview with the pediatrician before you make a decision. Find out where he/she stands on issues such as breastfeeding, vaccinations, and discipline.
Preschool:
Try calling local churches who don't offer preschools. They have nothing to lose and they usually know what's out there. That's how I found a good preschool in my town.
Dentist:
This is a tough one if you don't have a pediatrician yet. I would ask my pediatrician who they recommend.
I only found one pediatric dentist where I live and she is great! 
In your case, I would start with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.1-800 dentist.com supposedly can find you a local dentist that specializes in treating kids. However, nothing came up when I typed in my area code.Dentists4kids.com brought up two pediatric dentists in my area. I would bet there aren't that many to choose from. I would call the offices and ask the receptionist how long they've been there and what they think of the dentist. If they don't like the dentist, it will be easy to tell.
