Dr. Hall,
I am interested in straightening my top front teeth with porcelain veneers and tooth whitening. I have visited a few dentists who claim to be trained in cosmetic dentistry. Can you give me some examples of questions I need to ask to be sure of their expertise? Also, can you please tell me the average price of veneers in my area. Any advice is appreciated.
– Shannon from Pittsburgh
Shannon,
This is a great frustration with people, finding out who are good cosmetic dentists. I know there are people and web sites where they give you a list of questions to ask or things to look for. I am a retired accredited cosmetic dentist myself, and I will tell you that I don’t know what to tell you to look for. I don’t think there is any list of questions you can use. The way I tell is that I look at photos of their work and I look at things like emergence profile, gingival health, an understanding of color and translucency, an artistic sense, passion for beauty, and attention to detail. I don’t think there is any list of questions that can equip a patient to tell who is good and who isn’t.
Let’s change the situation a little and help you see my point. Let’s say that there was no such thing as a dental license – that anyone could claim to be a dentist. And let’s say that there is no uniform educational standard – that many universities had courses in dentistry, some good and some bad. How would you tell who is a good dentist and who isn’t? Well, it would be pretty tough.
So that you don’t have to face this situation, governments have set up licensing boards with strict standards and laws prohibiting anyone who isn’t qualified from saying that they are a dentist. But there are no such legal standards for cosmetic dentistry. And because of the politics at play in the dental profession, such standards are very unlikely. So you’re vulnerable. And by visiting various offices, my guess is that you’re experiencing some confusion. I estimate that for every dentist who is truly an artist and a genuine cosmetic dentist, there are fifty who claim to be cosmetic dentists.
If you want a little help, check my article on the difference between a general dentist and a cosmetic dentist. And if you want a recommendation from me, check our web page where we list excellent Pittsburgh cosmetic dentists. So here’s what I’d recommend. Visit the offices of the cosmetic dentists we recommend in the Pittsburgh area, and then come back and you tell me how different they are from the other offices you’ve visited. You will sense a difference, I’m pretty confident of that. Try it. You’ll see what I mean.
As far as the cost of porcelain veneers, I’d expect to pay a fee somewhere between $1100 and $1900 per tooth in your area.
– Dr. Hall
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About David A. Hall
Dr. David A. Hall was one of the first 40 accredited cosmetic dentists in the world. He practiced cosmetic dentistry in Iowa, and in 1990 earned his accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is now president of Infinity Dental Web, a company in Mesa, Arizona that does advanced internet marketing for dentists.
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