Keeping your teeth and gums healthy is as important as keeping tabs on your blood pressure and cholesterol. If your mouth isn’t in good shape, you’re more prone to heart disease, pneumonia, stroke, and potentially Alzheimer’s. Your biggest ally in the battle for oral health? A great dentist.
To help you find one, our Ratings Tables report patient reviews for general dentists who received at least 10 ratings on our surveys of area consumers. We also rate each practice for price, based on the results of our undercover shopping.
See your general care dentist for routine procedures (cleanings, most restorations), but consider a specialist for procedures such as oral or periodontal surgery, implants, extensive bridgework, and difficult root canals. Since general care dentists may also provide these services, weigh the pros and cons of using your regular dentist versus a specialist for them. For dental specialists, our Ratings Tables report patient reviews plus indicate which were recommended most often by other dentists in the area who we surveyed.
In the articles below, we review points to keep in mind when choosing a dentist. We also discuss how to keep costs down. You’ll want to check prices: We found that some dentists charge more than twice as much as others for the same procedures. Fortunately, using a dentist with low fees doesn’t mean you have to forsake quality. We found that many of the dentists who receive high ratings on our surveys of patients also charge below-average fees.
Be suspicious if a new dentist recommends far more treatment than your previous one did—for instance, if suddenly many silver fillings need to be replaced or several teeth need crowns. We receive frequent complaints about this.
Before undergoing extensive treatment—and especially if a new-to-you dentist declares you need expensive restoration work—get a second opinion. Your dentist should forward X-rays and exam results to another practice for review.
