Does PHOENIX magazine check out all of the dentists on the list?
Yes. Once the list of Top Dentists is compiled, PHOENIX magazine’s fact-checkers verify the dentists’ names, addresses, phone numbers and specialties. In addition, each name is checked against the state’s dental board records to determine whether the dentist has been convicted of malpractice or has faced other disciplinary actions. Those that have are removed from the list. Why not ask patients to rate the best dentists? The simple answer is that patients generally lack the medical expertise to judge a dentist’s qualifications, and different patients will have varying opinions on the same dentist (i.e., one patient’s best experience may be another patient’s worst). Should we ever do a ranking based solely on bedside manner, querying patients might be an option. My dentist says he was left off the list because he doesn’t advertise in PHOENIX magazine. Could that be true? Absolutely not. Like any credible publication, PHOENIX magazine’s editorial content is not dictated by who advertises
