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Castle Connolly Releases Castle Connolly 2026 Top Dentists

ZD
  • Castle Connolly announced the 2026 Top Dentists list on July 29, 2026, recognizing the top 10% of dentists nationwide.
  • The list includes over 22,000 peer-nominated dentists selected from more than 200,000 practitioners across all 50 states & 12 specialties.
  • Selection criteria involve a rigorous process based on peer nominations, professional achievements, & excellence in patient care vetted by the Castle Connolly Advisory Board.
  • This release expands Castle Connolly's independent healthcare recognition platform beyond physicians to include dental professionals.
  • The announcement addresses a pivotal shift in the dental landscape where rising out-of-pocket costs & dentists leaving insurance networks increase consumer responsibility.
  • A 2026 American Dental Association study reports 29% of dentists dropped insurance networks in the past year, with 55% citing insurance-related issues as a primary concern.
  • Nearly one-quarter of active patients at practices dropping networks were enrolled in those plans, forcing many to reevaluate coverage or providers.
  • While ~75% of Americans under 65 have dental insurance, confusion persists regarding coverage limitations & out-of-pocket costs, especially for major procedures with unchanged PPO benefits since the 1970s.
  • Castle Connolly's directory aims to help consumers identify peer-nominated dentists while allowing providers to distinguish themselves in a shifting market.
  • Castle Connolly has over 35 years of experience & a study in the Journal of Medical Research indicates its peer-reviewed directory is more reliable than sites relying solely on patient reviews.