Who Is the Best Cosmetic Dentist? The Truth Many People Don’t Know (From a Toronto Cosmetic Dentist)
- Dr. Johnson Ozgur
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
A few days ago, a patient walked into our clinic and told me she found us on Google while searching "Best Cosmetic Dentist in Toronto."We appeared first in her search results. She visited our website, scanned through our Instagram cases, and felt confident enough to book an appointment.
This made me stop and think.
Who decides who the "best cosmetic dentist" is? Is it Google? Social media likes? Beautiful veneer photos? Word-of-mouth? Awards? Or is it something deeper — something much harder to measure?
Today, I want to unpack this topic honestly and transparently — from the perspective of someone deeply involved in smile design and cosmetic dentistry in Toronto.
Is "Cosmetic Dentist" an Official Specialty?
Many people don't know this, but cosmetic dentistry is not a formal dental specialty.
In dental school, we learn:
Anatomy
Physiology
Periodontology
Prosthodontics
Oral surgery
…but only at a foundational level.
Upon graduation, we are prepared to perform basic dentistry safely, not necessarily advanced aesthetic transformations. Creating natural-looking porcelain veneers or full-mouth rehabilitations requires years of continuing education and real-world experience.
So when someone claims to be "The Best Cosmetic Dentist," it's important to remember:
Mastery in cosmetic dentistry isn't given — it's built.
What Actually Makes a Great Cosmetic Dentist?
Not titles.Not rankings.Not expensive branding.
A great cosmetic dentist is someone who has skills in:
1. Functional Dentistry
Smiles must look good and work in harmony with:
Bite forces
TMJ function
Muscle movement
Speech patterns
2. Aesthetic Design
Natural smiles are shaped by:
Facial proportions
Smile line & lip dynamics
Tooth color, translucency & texture
Proportion, symmetry & micro-details
3. Dentistry + Lab Collaboration
This is where true artistry lives.
A dentist is only as good as the dental lab they work with.
Ceramists bring life to porcelain translucency, surface texture, emergence profiles — the details that make veneers believable rather than “veneer-looking.”
4. Photography & Communication
Design means nothing if it can’t be communicated clearly to the lab.
High-quality cosmetic dentistry requires:
DSLR photography
Intraoral scanning
Software-based smile design
Documentation & measurements
Patient-lab-dentist communication
5. Continuous Education
Because materials, techniques, and digital technology evolve quickly.
From advanced bonding systems to digital occlusion tracking, modern cosmetic dentistry is a craft — not a static skillset.
Dental School Is Just the Beginning
I completed more than 200 fillings before graduating. Yet, I can confidently say:
Maybe 5% of what I use daily came from dental school. The other 95% came from continuing education, training, and experience.
Courses, symposiums, mentorships, hundreds of real cases, mistakes, corrections, refinement — that is where mastery forms.
Cosmetic dentistry is a lifelong pursuit, not a degree you hang on a wall.
The Myth of “The Best Cosmetic Dentist”
Patients judge beauty. Dentists judge aesthetics. But time judges success.
A veneer case might look stunning on Instagram on day one and still fail biologically within a year if functional foundations were ignored. Beautiful fails often go unnoticed — because they aren’t posted.
This is why Google rankings and follower counts do not define expertise.
Comparison: Marketing vs Mastery
What People Think Makes the “Best Dentist” | What Actually Matters |
100k followers on Instagram | Long-term stability of restorations |
Pretty before/after photos | Functional bite + joint harmony |
Viral veneer videos | Tissue health over years |
SEO ranking | Post-operative success and durability |
White, straight teeth | Natural esthetics & biology |
So How Should You Choose a Cosmetic Dentist?
Look for someone who:
✔ Invests in education continuously✔ Shows long-term cases, not only fresh results✔ Understands occlusion, function & TMJ health✔ Works closely with a skilled dental lab✔ Designs smiles uniquely for each face✔ Treats dentistry as a craft — not a competition
Dentists: If You Want to Be “the Best” — Stop Trying to Be
Instead, focus on:
1% improvement every day.Small growth compounds into exponential mastery.
Improve by 1% daily → 37.8x better in one year.
Craftsmanship is built slowly — repetition, reflection, refinement.
This philosophy reminds me of the Japanese concept of Takumi — the master craftsman who never stops learning, even after decades of practice.
A Takumi never truly becomes one — they are always becoming.
Our Promise at Toronto Smile Design – Yorkville Dental
We don't claim to be the best cosmetic dentist in Toronto.
We claim something more realistic — and more meaningful:
We are committed to the journey of mastery.
We invest in:
Technology
Education
Digital dentistry
Photography
Lab partnerships
Real research & continuous improvement
Dentistry is a team sport — and our team grows together.
"It's not the journey or the destination — it's the company."
And I am grateful for ours.
If this article made you think differently about cosmetic dentistry, you’ll enjoy the full discussion.
🎥 Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/j5BzQUVBIhw?si=Iq-vs2-cc7NeIRRi. (Highly recommended if you're considering veneers or studying dentistry)
Interested in Cosmetic Dentistry or Veneers in Toronto?
Book a consultation or learn more about our approach:
📍 Toronto Smile Design – Yorkville Dental🦷 Digital Smile Design | Porcelain Veneers | Full Mouth Rehabilitation🔗 www.torontosmiledesign.ca
