How Do I Find the Best Cosmetic Dentist?

There are many questions that should be answered before choosing a dentist. Some should include:

Am I choosing based on price?
Is location important?
Am I expecting something specific, as in cosmetics, or is the goal simply a new dental home?

The list of questions could go on and on. But when real technical issues are important, some homework should be involved.
Beware of simply choosing someone that is a member of a group. It is one thing to pay dues to an organization, it is quite another to have training and skills (both of which are not required for many memberships). While the AACD is a great organization, simply being a member isn't much to speak of.
If you are considering cosmetic procedures, ask to see photographs of that dentist's own work, especially with cases similar to yours. The more experienced cosmetic dentists either take their own photos (and may even have a small studio in their office) or hire someone to document their work. Be sure to ask if the photos you are seeing are their own work, and not "just like we do here" or simply a book purchased at a trade fair.
Talk with your friends and colleagues. Some have some great things to share about their dentist.
Meet and interview a few dentists and their staff. If a warm, caring environment with pleasant people is important to you, you may need to kiss a few frogs to find your prince. If you find an office that you think is a good fit, but can't quite pull the trigger, ask if there are some patients you can speak with or read their testimonials. You may find that many others were just like you and really did find the best dentist for them.
It all comes down to your individual goals. If "good enough" is good enough, then it shouldn't be too hard.

Finding the best cosmetic dentist requires a little of work on your part, but the little effort certainly out weighs the benefits you will gain. Your best bet is to to do your research on line, regarding the dentist background, the reviews posted and the before and after cosmetic treatments the dentist has performed similar to your needs and wants.Then making appointment with 2 or three of your top cosmetic dentists, you selected, for a consultation. At the consultation observe how detailed is their examination and consultation, and address all your questions, such as:How many procedures similar to what I want have you performed? Is it a few times, or hundreds or thousands?Usually a cosmetic dentist expert has performed at least a few hundred times that particular cosmetic procedure. Can the Cosmetic dentist show you a "mock up" in YOUR MOUTH, of how the results might look like ?Does the cosmetic dentist, listens to your needs?Do you have one option or several?Listen if the cosmetic dentist is going over the pros, cons, risks and benefits of the procedure with you? and over all the options?With these few questions, you will be getting a feel, If you want that cosmetic dentist to do the dental procedure for you or you are ready to move on.Of course the next questions will be in regards to how many visits it takes? how long of an appointment time ? Does it involve any discomfort ? do you have an option to have sedation dentistry done while you have your cosmetic dentistry done ?After, inquire regarding the cost, How much is the cosmetic dentistry going to cost ?Do not get shocked if there are huge price differences, each cosmetic dentist fee differs, and it usually depends on the reputation, the expertise and the knowledge and know how to give you the best possible results in an efficient manner, AND use the least invasive procedure on you, to give you what you really want.

Cosmetic dentistry is not a sub-specialty of dentistry, therefore skilled cosmetic dentists are self taught through working closely under a mentor and continuing education. When I taught at Columbia University, I made it my mission to teach cosmetic dentistry to my eager residents but because most of our patients were insurance based, I rarely got the chance to treat patients in cosmetic procedures. If a practice or clinic is in-network with insurances, it is not positioned to treat cosmetic patients because most insurances do not cover cosmetic procedures. 
Best way to find a cosmetic dentist is to look at their portfolio, experience level and overall philosophy towards facial aesthetic. After all cosmetic dentistry is more than just smile design and teeth have a significant impact in overall facial balance and appearance. 

Cosmetic dentistry is not recognized as a specialty. But, it needs to do complete search before you make a decision to rely on a cosmetic dentist. Now, you can easily find the cosmetic dentist online. When you search online for cosmetic dentist, you need to check credentials and reviews as well as experience of a particular dentist. 
It is crucial to rely on a qualified and an experienced cosmetic dentist, if there are complications during a cosmetic procedure, then a well-experienced cosmetic dentist knows well how to handle the situation.

This is much more difficult to do today because every dentist who does porcelain crowns and veneers nowadays calls themselves a cosmetic dentist. What most people want is a cosmetic dentist who has been well trained, who is experienced, who has great artistic ability, who REALLY listens to you, and then someone who follows through and delivers what was promised.

Where do you find such a dentist?  Well, the internet is probably the best place to start searching for cosmetic dentists who you are thinking of evaluating to see if they are a match for you.

I would suggest doing a Google search for "porcelain veneers plus the city or county that you live in."  Look for a dentist who has many examples OF THEIR ACTUAL COSMETIC DENTISTRY, not just stock photography.

Read their bio.  How many years have they actually practiced dentistry?  Where did they get their post doctoral cosmetic training?  LVI or the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies has one of the most highly acclaimed programs for cosmetic dentistry in the world today.  Also, the dentist a member of any of the major cosmetic dentistry organizations, like the AACD (American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry), ACE (Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics), etc.  Just from the web sites you'll get some good or uncertain feelings about the dentist.  Try to narrow your list to under five and then call their office.  Tell them what you're looking for and see how they respond.  It should be easy to see if they are genuinely concerned and want to help you, or too busy to answer any questions and give you any personalized care.  You should be able to narrow your choice down to 2-4 dentists.  Next make a cosmetic consultation.  Look at the office, how neat and professional is it.  Are there before and after photos demonstrating how proud the dentist is of the treatments he has been providing his cosmetic patients?  Do they see you on time?  Do they carefully listen to your concerns and show the confidence that they can solve your problems and deliver the kind of dentistry that will meet your expectations?  In many areas there are so few great cosmetic dentists that really stand out that it shouldn't be difficult to find one that you trust and and relate to.  Ask to see before and after photos of patients they have treated with dental problems that looked similar to theirs.  Do your homework and be careful whom you choose.  In our practice about one third of all the patients we treat are people who were dissatisfied with their previous cosmetic dentistry and are asking that we redo the porcelain veneers or crowns that were done by their last dentist.  I can't tell you enough how much better it is to do the treatment right the first time than having to redo someone else's treatment who was not able to meet the patient's expectations.

Good luck,

Dr. Norman Huefner