Comments on: Is there a dentist in the house?

Question: Is there a dentist in the house?

allen8219 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:53:49 -0800

Can you please recommend a dentist in Washington DC? I am almost certainly going to need a couple fillings, or maybe root canals, so I want to make sure I've got the right dentist for the job!

I have really neglected my teeth for the past two years, for a variety of reasons (psychological, financial, idiotic), and it has finally caught up with me. I am getting twinges of pain from two back molars, and I know that I had some decay there like two years ago... so I am afraid of what's actually going on with them.

Anyway, the good news is I have a job, and dental insurance. The insurance is CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, and will pay $1000 toward the bill, so if possible I would definitely like to take advantage of that.

Ugh. There is really nothing better for making you feel like a moron, than facing thousands of dollars in dental bills because you can't get it together enough to brush your teeth.

Thanks very much in advance, I really appreciate it.

By: dcjd

dcjd — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:12:04 -0800

See the previous question for some suggestions.

By: dcjd

dcjd — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:14:32 -0800

I also recommend Dr. Cusumano's office. They were very professional and friendly.

By: iminurmefi

iminurmefi — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:14:38 -0800

I found my dentist through an old mefi thread recommendation, and I can heartily recommend Cusumano and Stuver. I don't know if they accept CareFirst, but if they do, this is a good place to go. They're right next to the Ballston stop on the orange line (not technically within DC, but pretty close). Caveat: I haven't had any filings or root canals with them--just pretty much the typical cleanings and x-rays--but I've never gotten the sketchy sales pitch for expensive services or recommendations for questionable dental work from them (in contrast to other dentists in the District).

By: luckyveronica

luckyveronica — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:15:47 -0800

Hi,

Try the office of Dr. Kabasela in downtown Silver Spring (parking and Metro accessible). Very good, professional dentist and staff: (301) 585-0405. Good luck!

By: MrMoonPie

MrMoonPie — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:43:18 -0800

Not Metro accessible, but Dr. Gyllenhoff in McLean is great.

By: December

December — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:51:37 -0800

I *adore* my dentist (how often does one say that?!). His contact info:

Dr. James Johnson
555 12th St NW
Washington DC 20004
202.783.3368
(right at Metro Center)

Why? I'm glad you asked. First off, I'm a pansy when it comes to people diggin' around in my mouth. He's understanding of that little personal glitch without being annoyed or condescending about it. He's very patient and actually takes time to talk to you, so you don't feel like you're in a McDonald's DriveThru version of a dental visit.

Additionally, his staff appears to be on happy pills. These people are hap hap happy and actually give a shyt about helping you, which is a rarity in the District where customer service is at a minimum. His hygenist, Andy, is friendly, interesting (from Vietnam, has great stories and cute pix of his child), and communicative about how to best get through the visit without pain (TMI: I had braces which left little grooves near my gums, most dental offices weren't sensitive to the pain that causes during cleanings). Andy cares!

They're also not pushy with the sales pitch. For example, they mentioned the whitener once or twice, but didn't push me. Just put it out there and let me decide on my own (I opted not to).

What I've had done: fillings, cleanings, and special attention paid to aforementioned braces-based weirdness and permanent retainer. I've had no insurance hassles, no physical pain, no appointment delays, and actually ohmigod *enjoy* going to the dentist.

Good luck!

By: Rash

Rash — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:55:15 -0800

Dr Bruce Rabin in Rockville.
review

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:22:57 -0800

I had a couple of root canals done by Dr. Way, whose address I think still is:

Drs Martin Mocknick & Way
6845 Elm St Suite 509
Mc Lean, VA 22101
(703) 734-0334

The root canals have been great, they were pretty much painless, and he explained everything in a wonderful clear intellectual way.

By: rand

rand — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:30:43 -0800

Not a recommendation for one in DC, just for one in general.

My old dentist told me that this was the way to go about finding yourself a replacement: call the root canal specialists in the area and ask them for a recommendation. The theory is that the root canal specialists get to see all of the mistakes that the general dentists make, so the ones with the fewer mistakes should be the better dentist.

Good luck!

By: TheRaven

TheRaven — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:13:23 -0800

I recommended

David Rothkopf, DDS - General Dentist
2141 K St NW Ste 306
Washington, DC 20037
Ph: 202-659-2716

in the link dcjd has and still would.

By: jed

jed — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:24:46 -0800

I'm a huge fan of:

Washington Center for Dentistry
1430 K Street NW, Eighth Floor
Washington D.C., 20005
(202) 223-6630

They're on the pricier side and you have to pay up front (and then get reimbursed by your insurance), but they're fantastic, particularly if you don't normally like going to the dentist.

By: allen8219

allen8219 — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:03:02 -0800

Thanks a lot for your recs. Unfortunately it looks like most of them aren't hooked up with CareFirst, but it's definitely useful info!