2026 · Published
Top Dentists 2026
Clinicians whose work sets a reference point for the rest of the field — chosen for judgment, not volume.
- Year
- 2026
- Honorees
- 4
- Selection
- Editorial · no fee
The 2026 list
Dr. Johnathan Phan
Owner and DentistHouston, Texas
For a single-dentist general practice that competes on access rather than exclusivity — six-day hours, most PPO plans accepted, and financing for patients who arrive without insurance.
Dr. Marcus Hale
Prosthodontist & Practice OwnerPortland, Oregon
For a restorative practice built on treatment horizons measured in years, and for taking the cases other offices decline.
Dr. Priya Desai
PeriodontistSeattle, Washington
For running a surgical specialty in which a large share of consultations correctly end without surgery.
Dr. Nathan Whitfield
Oral & Maxillofacial SurgeonNashville, Tennessee
For replacing routine opioid prescribing with a documented pathway, and publishing it for anyone to copy.
Methodology
Top Dentists is an editorial list. Honorees are selected by Dental Authority’s staff following reporting, peer conversations, and review of each clinician’s published and teaching work.
No fee is charged at any stage, and no honoree pays for inclusion or for the right to reference the recognition.
We weigh what a clinician does in ambiguous cases more heavily than what they do in straightforward ones.
What we look for
- Clinical judgment in complex or ambiguous cases
- Willingness to decline treatment that is not indicated
- Transparency with patients about cost and alternatives
- Standing among referring colleagues
