Star ratings tell you how a waiting room felt to someone on a particular Tuesday. They say very little about how carefully a dentist examines gums, explains a treatment plan or handles a cracked tooth at 4:30 on a Friday. Those are the things that decide if you stay with a practice for years.
So instead of another list of names, here is the checklist we would use to find the best dentist in Burlington for our own families. It works on any office, including ours.
1. Check the License (It Takes Two Minutes)
Every practicing dentist in Massachusetts must be licensed by the Board of Registration in Dentistry, part of the state’s Department of Public Health. The Board’s page on Mass.gov links to the state’s license verification tool, where you can look up a dentist by name and see the license status and any public disciplinary record.
It is a small step that most people skip. It also answers a question no review can.
2. Ask What a Checkup Actually Covers
A thorough exam goes well beyond looking for cavities. It should include your gums, your bite and jaw joints, existing fillings and crowns, and the soft tissues of your mouth, tongue and throat.
Cavities themselves are far from rare. CDC surveillance data show that about one in five adults between 20 and 64 has at least one untreated cavity. Many of those were never painful, which is exactly why a careful exam matters more than how often you feel something is wrong.
If a new office can’t tell you what its exam includes, take note.
3. Listen to How They Answer “How Often Should I Come In?”
“Every six months” is a fine default. It isn’t the only correct answer. The American Dental Association says checkup frequency should depend on each patient’s risk, as judged by their dentist, and guidance from the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence allows anywhere from three months to two years for adults, depending on risk.
A dentist who asks about smoking, diabetes, gum history and past cavities before giving you a number is tailoring care to you. That habit usually shows up everywhere else too.
4. A Treatment Plan Should Come With Reasons and Options
You deserve to know why a treatment is recommended, what happens if you wait, and what the alternatives are. That includes the simplest option and, sometimes, doing nothing for now.
Some warning signs:
- Pressure to start expensive treatment the same day without time to think
- A long list of work with no explanation of priority
- Reluctance when you mention a second opinion
A good plan often comes in phases. Urgent problems first, then the work that protects teeth long term, then anything cosmetic.
5. Find Out What Happens In-House and What Gets Referred
Some offices handle implants, root canals, extractions and sedation themselves. Others send patients to specialists for some or all of those. Neither approach is wrong, but you should know which you’re signing up for before you’re halfway through a treatment.
At our Second Avenue office, implant treatment, root canals, extractions, sedation dentistry and cosmetic work are all offered, and the office has its own 3D imaging and dental lab. Ask any office you’re comparing the same question.
6. Talk About Money Before Anyone Picks Up an Instrument
Ask which insurance plans the office accepts and who handles the paperwork. Ask about options if you don’t have coverage. Ask how larger treatment can be paid for.
Our answers, for comparison: most major plans are accepted, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Delta Dental, GEHA and United Concordia, and a staff insurance coordinator deals with your carrier directly. Uninsured patients can join an in-house membership plan for $449 a year for adults or $429 for children. Financing is available through CareCredit, Sunbit, Proceed Finance and Cherry.
An office that gets vague about costs early tends to stay vague later.
7. Ask What Happens When Something Breaks
Dental problems rarely wait for a routine appointment. Before you need it, find out how the office handles urgent calls, if it takes walk-ins, and what its hours are.
Our team aims to see dental emergencies the same day whenever possible and accepts walk-ins.
8. Read Reviews for Patterns, Not Scores
One furious review and one glowing one cancel each other out. Look instead for things several people mention: running late, explaining clearly, billing surprises, how children were treated, how anxious patients felt.
Pay attention to how the office responds to criticism too. A calm, specific reply says more than a perfect average.
9. Make Sure It Fits Your Whole Household
If you have kids, ask if they can be seen in the same practice. If someone in your family is anxious about dental work, ask what the office does about it. Practical fit is a big part of why people keep their appointments.
How We Measure Up
Any dentist should be comfortable being checked against a list like this, and we are. Dr. Slava Abdelrehim is a 1999 graduate of the NYU College of Dentistry. His advanced training includes occlusion and TMJ therapy at The Pankey Institute, full-mouth reconstruction with Dr. Ted Morgan, and conscious sedation certification through DOCS. The practice received an Expertise.com Best Dentists recognition in 2021.
We’d still rather you verify than take our word for it.
Questions About Choosing a Dentist
Q1. How can I check a dentist’s license in Massachusetts?
A1. Use the license verification tool linked from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Dentistry page on Mass.gov. You can search by name to see license status and public disciplinary actions.
Q2. Is every six months the right interval for checkups?
A2. Not for everyone. The ADA recommends intervals based on individual risk. People with gum disease, diabetes or frequent cavities often need more frequent visits, while some low-risk adults can safely go longer.
Q3. What should a new-patient exam include?
A3. A review of your health history and medications, an exam of teeth, gums, bite and jaw joints, a look at existing dental work and the soft tissues of the mouth, and x-rays based on your needs.
Q4. Is it okay to get a second opinion on a treatment plan?
A4. Yes. A confident dentist won’t be bothered by it, especially for large or expensive treatment.
Q5. What questions should I ask about cost?
A5. Ask which insurance plans are accepted, who files claims, what options exist without insurance, if there’s a membership plan, and what financing is available for larger work.
Q6. Do online reviews matter when picking a dentist?
A6. They help when you read them for repeated themes rather than the star average. Look at how the office replies to complaints as well.
Q7. Can my whole family see the same dentist?
A7. At many practices, yes. Our office sees both children and adults, which makes it easier to keep everyone on track.
What Matters Most Over Time
The value of a good dentist shows up over years, not at the first appointment. Deepening gum pockets, a filling starting to break down at the edges, early wear from clenching: these get caught when the same team compares your mouth from one visit to the next and tells you plainly what has changed. An office that does that consistently keeps most dental problems small.
