Dentists in Preston Hollow

Texas dental rules recognize 12 specialty areas, among them orthodontics, endodontics, periodontics, pediatric dentistry, prosthodontics and oral and maxillofacial surgery. A dentist may advertise as a specialist in one of them only after finishing an accredited specialty program of two or more years or becoming board certified. Offices with several dentists must avoid implying that their general dentists are specialists.

The license certificate on the wall won't settle the question, since Texas certificates don't show specialty recognition. Dentists can ask TSBDE to add an accredited specialty certificate to their licensing record, so the board's record is the better place to look. Ask the front desk which dentist will treat you and search that name specifically.

Who cleans your teeth in Preston Hollow

Many routine visits are handled by a hygienist, who can clean and polish teeth, smooth root surfaces, apply fluoride, take X-rays and give local anesthetic under a dentist's authorization. A hygienist can't diagnose, prescribe or perform irreversible procedures that cut tissue. A dentist can delegate your cleaning without being on the premises, as long as they examined you within the previous 12 months.

Preston Hollow offices set their own fees, so use Delta Dental's national averages as a yardstick. A standard cleaning without dental benefits averages $85 to $160. An out-of-network permanent crown averages $1,100 to $2,000 (2023 data). Ask for a written treatment estimate before any crown or larger work, and ask whether your plan's network includes the office.

For a lower-cost route, the Texas A&M dental school in Dallas runs adult clinics after a $120 screening, with no fee if you aren't accepted; its adult clinics don't take insurance and visits run longer. These figures are general cost information, not dental advice. The Texas dentist guide covers costs in more depth.

Every Texas dental office must post a TSBDE consumer information sign in plain view. Complaints about quality of care, sanitation or conduct go to TSBDE on its complaint form, by email to complaints@tsbde.texas.gov, fax or mail, and the board won't accept anonymous ones. Billing arguments are a different matter: TSBDE doesn't handle fee disputes, and it can order restitution only in limited cases where care fell below the standard. Questions about a diagnosis or treatment belong with a licensed dentist.

For a wider search, the citywide Dallas dentists page covers Medicaid and CHIP plans, and the separate Town of Highland Park has its own Highland Park dentists page. The Preston Hollow page covers the neighborhood's other services.