The company that makes Invisalign® invisible braces has a certification program. Dentists have to attend a specific training course put on by the company. Upon completion of this course, the company will accept orders from the dentist for Invisalign cases.

However, we look for something more, beyond just this Invisalign certification, in the dentists we recommend. Some dentists may have the training, but are not progressive in using it and will use it for only a very limited number of patients. This is true, in particular, with orthodontists who may have a strong bias toward traditional orthodontic techniques, since they spent much of their schooling learning those techniques. I saw an example of this when I was practicing. There was an orthodontist near my office who was Invisalign certified. A patient came to me who had previously visited this orthodontist. He was interested in doing Invisalign and told me that this orthodontist said his case was best done with traditional braces. However, he didn't want to do traditional braces, and if the choice were traditional braces or leave his teeth the way they were, he would do nothing. I did the examination, and said that yes, I agreed with the orthodontist that the case could best be handled with traditional braces, however Invisalign would work. I said that as long as he understood the relative benefits and risks, and chose to do Invisalign, I would treat him. He agreed, I treated the case, and it had a successful outcome.

My disagreement with the orthodontist was not clinical, but was one of philosophy. I believed in giving the patient more automony in deciding what he wanted. Patients don't want to have metal brackets digging into their cheeks and tongue, they don't want treatment to take longer when it can be shorter, and many of them don't want to be seen wearing metal braces. Some dentists are willing to give strong consideration to those desires, others aren't.

So our recommendations of dentists are based on Invisalign certification and philosophy.

Click on the state to the right to find an Invisalign® certified cosmetic dentist in that state. If you can't find an Invisalign® certified dentist close to you, please click here to ask us to find an Invisalign-trained dentist closer to you, and we will try to help.

Also note that certification in Invisalign® invisible braces is a separate matter from artistic ability and training in cosmetic dentistry. Where the Invisalign® dentist is also fully trained in cosmetic dentistry, we have indicated that in the listing. Otherwise, don't assume that.