Whether you’re scheduling a physical, sitting down with a therapist, or heading in for your regular dental cleaning, your only concern when seeing a healthcare provider should be your health — not whether you’ll encounter microaggressions or other forms of discrimination at the doctor’s office. Outright homophobia notwithstanding, there are plenty of reasons to prioritize seeing healthcare professionals who are LGBTQ friendly. And that includes dentists.

We sat down with Dr. Carlos J. Huerta, an LGBTQ-affirming dentist and Lighthouse provider, to learn about the five ways he and other dentists work hard to make dental care LGBTQ-friendly.