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Why “Maryland Dental Implant Specialist” Is Harder to Search Than It Sounds
Search “Maryland dental implant specialist,” and you’ll get a mix of oral surgeons, periodontists, prosthodontists, and general dentists who offer implants as one service among many, all describing themselves as experts. The credentials behind the name tell you much more.
At Family Implant & Reconstructive Dentistry in Havre de Grace, Dr. Richard V. Grubb, DDS, has placed and restored implants for patients across Harford County for more than 35 years and holds two of the credentials implant specialists are measured by: Fellowship in the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) and Diplomate status with the American Board of Oral Implantology (ABOI). This guide explains what those credentials actually mean, and what else is worth checking before you choose a provider.
Call (410) 939-5800 or learn more about dental implants at Family Implant & Reconstructive Dentistry.
Questions to Ask Before Choosing Who Places Your Implants
1. Are They a General Dentist, or a Specialist in Implant Surgery?
In the U.S., any licensed dentist can legally place a dental implant after completing a continuing-education course, even a short one. A general dentist with deep, additional training in implants is a very different thing from one who added the service after a weekend seminar. Ask directly how much of their practice is implant-focused and how that training was obtained.
2. Do They Hold Fellowship or Diplomate Status with a Recognized Implant Organization?
This is where credentials start to separate providers. The American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) and the American Board of Oral Implantology (ABOI) are recognized for implant-specific credentialing in the U.S.
- AAID Fellowship is an implant-focused professional credential that reflects additional education, clinical experience, and examination requirements.
- ABOI Diplomate status is a board certification in oral implantology/implant dentistry. Depending on the candidate’s eligibility pathway, certification involves examination and documented clinical experience, including an oral/case examination.
Dr. Grubb holds both: he is an Honored Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry and a Board Certified Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology.
3. How Long Have They Practiced, and How Many Implant Cases Have They Done?
Years in general dentistry and years of focused implant experience aren’t the same number, so ask for both. Dr. Grubb graduated at the top of his class from the University of Maryland’s Baltimore College of Dental Surgery in 1975, now the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. He also completed a surgical and anesthesia residency at Sinai Hospital, and has practiced in Havre de Grace for more than 35 years.
4. Is Their Surgical and Anesthesia Training Documented?
Implant placement is minor oral surgery, so ask what formal surgical and anesthesia training the provider has beyond dental school. Credentialed membership in a recognized anesthesiology body is a good sign of structured, ongoing training in sedation safety. Dr. Grubb is a credentialed sedation member of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology, in addition to his Sinai Hospital residency in surgery and anesthesia.
5. Is the Provider Recognized by Their Peers or Teaching Institutions?
Leadership roles within organized dentistry and academic appointments are both signs that a provider’s peers and teaching institutions trust their judgment. Dr. Grubb is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry and a Past President of the Maryland State Dental Association.
6. Will One Provider Handle Planning, Placement, and Restoration, or Will You Be Referred Out?
Some patients are planned by one office, have the implant placed by an oral surgeon, and get the crown from a third provider. That can work well, but it also means more handoffs and more people to coordinate. Ask whether your case will stay in-house. At Family Implant & Reconstructive Dentistry, implant consultation, placement, and restoration are handled start to finish in one practice.
7. Will You Get a Written Treatment Plan and Estimate?
A credentialed provider should also be a transparent one. Ask for a written plan that lays out every stage of treatment and a detailed estimate before you commit to anything. Family Implant & Reconstructive Dentistry provides a written estimate after your consultation, with no obligation to proceed.
What ABOI and AAID Credentials Actually Verify
It’s worth being specific about what each credential confirms, since the alphabet soup of dental organizations can blur together.
- AAID Fellowship confirms a dentist has gone beyond continuing education: they’ve submitted documented implant cases for review and passed written and oral examinations administered by the Academy. It signals a sustained, serious commitment to implant dentistry specifically, not dentistry in general.
- ABOI Diplomate status is the board-certification tier above Fellowship. It requires additional case documentation and oral examination by a board of experienced implant surgeons. Relatively few general dentists in Maryland, or nationally, hold both an AAID Fellowship and ABOI Diplomate status at the same time.
General Dentist vs. Credentialed Implant Dentist vs. Specialist Surgeon: How to Compare
There’s no universally “best” category. Here’s an even-handed look at the three paths patients typically choose between.
- A general dentist with no added implant credentials. The strength is convenience, especially for a single, straightforward implant in a patient with good bone density. The trade-off is that training can vary enormously from one general dentist to the next, so it’s worth asking questions about case volume and training.
- A general dentist with AAID and/or ABOI credentials, like Dr. Grubb. The strength is implant-specific training combined with the convenience of staying with one familiar practice for planning, placement, and restoration. The trade-off is that cases involving extensive bone loss or complications may still warrant a referral to an oral surgeon or periodontist.
- A periodontist or oral and maxillofacial surgeon. The strength is additional years of formal surgical residency specific to the mouth and jaw, which can matter for complex grafting or full-arch cases. The trade-off is that restoration (the crown or bridge) is often handled by a separate dentist.
The right fit depends on your bone health, medical history, and how many teeth need replacing. A good provider in any of these categories will answer your credential questions directly and without hesitation.
Red Flags to Watch for When Choosing Who Places Your Implants
- Vague or evasive answers when you ask about specific credentials, training, or case volume
- No mention of any implant-specific organization, board, or fellowship
- Pressure to schedule surgery at the first visit, without a written plan
- A quote with no breakdown of consultation, surgical, and restorative costs
- No explanation of what imaging or digital planning will be used to evaluate your anatomy before surgery
- No clear answer about who places the implant versus who restores it
- Unwillingness to share before-and-after cases or patient references
Schedule a Credentialed Implant Consultation in Havre de Grace, MD
If you’re comparing providers and searching for a Maryland dental implant specialist, the most reliable next step is to ask the questions above directly and to check the credentials behind the answers. We hope you’ll bring those questions to us.
Call our Havre de Grace office at (410) 939-5800 or schedule your consultation online. We welcome implant patients from Havre de Grace, Aberdeen, Bel Air, Perryville, and Elkton.