Wanting to consider using a provider, concerned about std's. I imagine condom use prevents many, but what about contact std's like herpes. Seems like even with a condom, one could still contract it. and I'm not sure of others like syp, gon, etc. Anyone who can offer their experiences, let me know

You can post your concerns there, but first, do a search on STD's for the past 90 days. You'll get a wealth of information there.