How to choose a cosmetic dentist in Sacramento: a dentist's checklist.
The questions we'd ask before letting anyone change our own smiles, and the red flags that should send you elsewhere.
The short answer
Choose the dentist whose own, unretouched work looks like what you want, who can explain how much tooth they'll remove and why, who lets you preview the result before anything permanent, and who is willing to recommend less treatment when less is enough.
Cosmetic dentistry isn't an ADA-recognized specialty, so the title alone tells you very little. Here's what we'd check if we were choosing for our own families.
Nine questions worth asking.
Can I see your cases, not stock photos?
Ask for before-and-afters from that office, ideally with the same lighting and angles, close-ups as well as full smiles, and cases like yours. A gallery of perfect, identical white smiles is a warning sign, not a selling point.
Who makes the veneers or crowns?
An in-house lab or a close ceramist relationship lets the dentist adjust shade and shape quickly and see the work before it reaches your mouth. Ask whether restorations are mailed out, and how remakes are handled.
Can I preview the result?
A wax-up, a mock-up or a set of temporaries you can "test drive" lets you judge length, shape and shade before final restorations are made. Your feedback should shape the final design.
How much tooth will you remove?
A good answer is specific: which teeth, roughly how much, and why. Conservative preparation keeps more of your enamel. Ask whether no-prep or minimal-prep is realistic for you, and why or why not.
What would you do first?
Whitening before shade-matching, alignment before veneers, gum health before anything. The order of treatment shows you how a dentist thinks.
How do you protect the result?
Ask about bite analysis, night guards for grinders, maintenance visits and what happens if something chips. Get any warranty in writing.
What's your training?
Look for advanced cosmetic and restorative education, and for fellowships that require documented continuing education and exams, such as FAGD (Academy of General Dentistry) or FICOI (International Congress of Oral Implantologists).
Is the pricing transparent?
You should know the per-tooth price, what's included (temporaries, adjustments, night guard) and what isn't, before you commit.
Do the reviews talk about cosmetic work?
Read the detailed reviews, including the critical ones, and look for how the office responded. Volume matters less than whether patients describe outcomes like yours.
Our answers to our own checklist.
Cases: We show only work done at Lush Dental Studio, with written patient permission.
Lab: Our dental lab is in-house, so design, shading and adjustments happen on site.
Preview: Porcelain cases include temporaries you live in and review before the final porcelain is made.
Pricing: Veneer prices are published per tooth on our veneers page, with a warranty (2-year composite, 5-year porcelain).
Training: Founder Dr. Moid Khan is DDS, FICOI, FAGD, and practices alongside three Lush doctors.
Reputation: 4.9 stars across 1,300+ Google reviews. Voted Sacramento's Best Cosmetic Dentist: Gold Best Cosmetic Dentistry, Sacramento Favorites 2023, 2024, 2025 & 2026.
Visit Lush Dental Studio in Natomas
Lush Dental Studio is at 2860 Del Paso Rd #300, Sacramento, CA 95834, in Natomas. We're open Mon–Fri 8am–5pm and Saturday 8am–2pm. Four doctors, led by founder Dr. Moid Khan, DDS, FICOI, FAGD, practice here alongside our in-house dental lab.
We're in-network with most PPO plans and verify your benefits before treatment (we don't participate in HMO or Medi-Cal / Denti-Cal plans). Book online or call (916) 619-7172.
Your questions, answered.
Is cosmetic dentistry a recognized dental specialty?
What should I bring to a cosmetic consultation?
Should I get more than one opinion?
Is a reader-voted award a clinical credential?
What are the red flags at a cosmetic consult?
Ask us all nine.
Free cosmetic consultation ($150 value) includes X-rays. Bring your list.
Book My Free Consult Or call (916) 619-7172 · Saturdays 8am–2pm.