Every number, every citation, verified
Our fact-check team verifies every statistic, price, and citation that appears on this directory before publication. We publish this methodology so you can see exactly what “verified” means in our context, and what standards our sources have to meet.
Source hierarchy
Not all sources are equal. Our fact-check team applies a strict hierarchy:
| Tier | Source type | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peer-reviewed journal (JADA, JOMFS, Journal of Endodontics, JCD) | Preferred for clinical claims. Required for outcome statistics. |
| 2 | Federal/state government data (CDC, HRSA, state dental boards, CMS) | Preferred for population-level and pricing statistics. |
| 3 | Professional organizations (ADA, AACD, AAP, AAOMS) | Preferred for standards, guidelines, and credentialing counts. |
| 4 | Insurance claims databases (Delta Dental, Cigna, Aetna aggregate data) | Preferred for real-world pricing distributions. |
| 5 | Individual clinic data | Used only for that clinic’s specific listings, with the clinic’s written confirmation. |
Pricing figures
Every price on our directory — whether in a cost guide, clinic profile, or comparison chart — is verified against at least two of the following:
- The clinic’s own published fee schedule (where public)
- Direct anonymous inquiry (our editors call and ask)
- Insurance claims database aggregate for the specific ZIP code
- State board rate schedule (where applicable, e.g. some Medicaid programs)
Where sources disagree, we report the range and note the disagreement. Where a clinic’s own price appears inconsistent between our anonymous inquiry and their published fee schedule, we flag the discrepancy in the clinic profile.
Credential verification
Every dentist we name has their credentials verified through:
- State dental board license lookup (primary source)
- Dental school alumni verification (for graduation year and degree)
- Professional organization membership rolls (for specialty certifications)
- State malpractice history (for good standing)
Statistics
Population-level dental health statistics come from CDC NHANES data, updated to the most recent survey wave. Regional statistics come from state health department data where available. We include the survey year and sample size on any statistic that requires it.
Named quotes
Every quote attributed to a named dentist is either:
- Sourced from a published article or peer-reviewed paper, with the citation on file
- From a recorded interview conducted by our editorial team
- From written correspondence, with the message archived
Every quote is verified back to its source with the quoted person before publication.
Errors we have caught
Our fact-check has caught and corrected errors before publication many times. When we catch a factual error after publication, we log it publicly on our corrections page.