Two recommendations: #1: Dr. Castronovo (previous post from someone else) provides excellent quality work and the staff seems very happy. She refers a lot of cases to specialists so that they can provide the best quality work in her patients' mouths. I've heard fantastic things about her (personality and office staff and dental work). #2: Dr. Andy Doerfler has a great reputation for gentle care and patience and quality work. He's almost all by word-of-mouth and has many patients he's served for years. He's taught dozens of continuing education courses over the years to dentists in TX and around the nation (at the invitation of different dental organizations) and is respected among his peers. He has an easy-going, comfortable personality. Several of my friends go to him and have recommended him also. His office isn't fancy but what's important is the good sanitation and quality you'll get. Very personable and likable, and very active and adventurous person. He's at Cypresswood Dr. and Steubner-Airline. BTW, if a dentist isn't "in" your network you can go anyway and it will be considered an "out of network" visit--ins. will still cover it, just not as much. But dental insurance doesn't work the same way as medical insurance, and typically the negotiated rate will be a small difference and some plans will cover only $2K per year, so anything over that you need to pay yourself anyway. Go with a dentist whose quality can be recommended to you by specialists. Ask who they refer to for "difficult root canals" or "periodontal disease" and then call up those offices and see if you can get a recommendation from them as to quality general dentist work, a dr. who caters to anxiety, etc. Also, if a general dentist rarely refers difficult cases out-of-offices then I'd wonder if they're financially driven decisions. YOU are your own best advocate. The information is out there but it might take some legwork and phone calls to get some candid recommendations. You could contact the Houston Dental Society or Academy of General Dentists also, although they might only supply a list to you of providers.
