How to Choose a Dentist for Cosmetic Work: Questions to Ask

Comparing dentists is hard when you can't judge the work from the outside. What you can judge is the answers you get: whether a dentist explains what they are proposing, whether the plan accounts for what you actually want, and whether you can check the basics for yourself. This article sets out questions worth asking before you commit to cosmetic treatment, and the reasons behind them.

If you are still working out what the field includes, there is a separate article on what cosmetic dentistry covers. This one is about choosing the person who does the work.

Who does cosmetic work

It helps to know what kind of practitioner you are talking to. General dentists often practice family dentistry and offer a broad range of services, from sealants and teeth whitening to fillings and dental implants (Cleveland Clinic).

That is a general description, not a statement about any one practice. It is still worth asking a particular dentist what they take on themselves and what they don't.

Check the licence

Trust only a licensed dentist to place a veneer. Veneer services from unlicensed individuals may come with potential risks for infection and nerve damage, and an unlicensed individual may unknowingly place veneers over unhealthy teeth, so it's worth checking that a provider is licensed to provide dental services in your state before committing to treatment (American Dental Association (MouthHealthy)).

If you want the general version of this check, there is a separate article on how to choose a dentist and check a licence.

How a plan gets made

There are many cosmetic dentistry treatments available, ranging from simple to complex, and it's worth talking to your dentist about your specific cosmetic goals so that they can design a treatment plan that works for your budget and lifestyle. How long results last depends on the type of procedure you have and how well you take care of your teeth and gums (Cleveland Clinic).

It is worth arriving with your own goals already in mind, in your own words.

Questions to ask

You don't need technical knowledge to ask any of these. Pay as much attention to how clearly a dentist answers as to what the answer is.

Are you licensed to provide dental services in New Jersey, and where can I check that?
What are you proposing for the goals I've described, and why that rather than something simpler?
What does the plan involve, step by step, and over what period?
What will it cost in total, and what is included in that figure?
How long would you expect this result to last, and what affects that?
What will looking after it involve afterwards?
What happens if I am unhappy with the result, or if something fails later?
Can I have the plan in writing before I agree to it?

Next step

Our office is at 147 Main St, 2nd Floor, Lodi, NJ 07644, and Dr. Steven Liao is our dentist. If you would like to bring questions like these to a first visit, start from our first-visit page.

Sources

Cleveland Clinic. "Dentist." Updated 2024-09-03. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24448-dentist
Cleveland Clinic. "Cosmetic Dentistry." Updated 2024-11-06. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23914-cosmetic-dentistry
American Dental Association (MouthHealthy). "Veneers." https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/veneers