Dear Fearful, 

There is no easy answer to this question. I can tell you this:

If you see an American dentist who is licensed in your state, you can rest assured the dentist has a college degree and 4 years of dental education. American dentists are very well educated. 

American dentists are required to ” keep up” with their profession and must do classes every year to stay on top of new trends. 

If you see an ADA dentist, you should know that they are bound by a higher set of ethics than what the state requires. 

However, I think the most important thing about choosing any healthcare provider is finding someone you are comfortable with. There are many competent dentists out there, but they all have different personalities and different values. Choose one that matches you and then really communicate with them about your health. 

Dr. H