Top Dentists 2008

Here are 247 of the region's top dental professionals in 8 specialties.

Smile Pretty

Ensure a beautiful smile and a healthy mouth with a top-notch dentist!

A good dentist is an important member of your family's medical team. Choosing the right provider for you and your loved ones is much like choosing the right physician. Ask your family and friends or a trusted healthcare provider for a referral. Then check the dentist's credentials.

The following list of the region's Top Dentists is another good starting point. The list is compiled and provided by topDentists (Trademark 2007 by top Dentists, Augusta, Ga.), a database of dental professionals who have been selected as "tops" by a vote of their peers. To see the complete database, visit the Web site at usatopDentists.com or for more information, e-mail info@usatopDentists.com or visit usatopDentists.com.

These dentists and specialists have been chosen through an exhaustive survey in which thousands of dental professionals from across the nation confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The nomination pool consisted of all dentists and specialists who were current members of the ADA and local dental societies. Criteria for selection of the "Top Dentists" list included years of experience, continuing education, manner with patients and physical results. Of course, there are many fine dentists who are not included in this representative list.

Whether you are looking to maintain a solid routine of good oral hygiene, seeking relief for a throbbing tooth or pursuing a whiter, brighter smile, you will at least need the services of a family or general dentist - a doctor of dental surgery (D.D.S.) or doctor of dental medicine (D.M.D.).

The difference between the two designations, according to the American Dental Association (ADA), is a matter of semantics. Most dental schools award the D.D.S. degree while some award a D.M.D. degree, but the education is the same. To help find the right provider for you, the ADA offers the following suggestions:

• Ask family, friends, neighbors or co-workers for recommendations.
• Ask your family physician or local pharmacist.
• If you're moving, ask your current dentist to make a recommendation.
• Call or write your local or state dental society.
• Use the ADA Membership Directory available at its Web site (ADA.org) to search for dentists in your area.

Still, choosing the right dentist is not always easy. To help narrow the selection of potential candidates, the ADA advises that you keep the following points in mind before making a decision:

• Is the appointment schedule convenient for you?
• Is the office easy to get to from your home or job?
• Does the office appear to be clean, neat and orderly?
• Was your medical and dental history recorded and placed into a permanent file?
• Is dental-health instruction provided?
• Are special arrangements made for handling emergencies after office hours? (Most dentists make arrangements with a colleague or emergency-referral service if they are unable to tend to emergencies.)
• Is information provided about fees and payment plans before treatment is scheduled?
• Is your dentist a member of the ADA? All ADA-member dentists voluntarily agree to abide by the high ethical standards reflected in the ADA's Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct as a condition of their membership.

General and family dentists can usually provide most of the services and procedures a patient may need, including checkups and cleanings, screenings and treatment for gum disease, fillings and extractions, and even root canals, crowns, bridges and dentures. Some also offer cosmetic procedures.

But there may be times when your situation requires the advanced training of a specialist. There are many different types of specialty dentists. These specialists complete an extra two to six years of education in a specific area of dentistry. Specialists include: endodontists, who care for the inner portion of the teeth, performing root canals and treating diseases of the pulp and nerves inside the tooth; oral and maxillofacial surgeons, who treat injuries and defects of the mouth and jaw and also handle complex tooth extractions; oral pathologists who examine, identify, diagnose and treat diseases of the mouth; orthodontists, who design and apply braces to realign crooked teeth; periodontists, who treat diseases of the gums and bone that surround and support teeth; and prosthodontists, who design, construct and fit replacement teeth including dentures, bridges and implants. There also are dentists who specialize in pediatric dentistry.

As with most healthcare concerns today, cost is a large consideration. Before you choose your provider, you may want to check with your dental-insurance carrier to see which providers participate to help maximize your insurance coverage.

If you do not have dental insurance, be certain to ask your provider about treatment costs and financial arrangements.

Brush ahead for a list of the region's Top Dentists!