How to Choose a Dentist in Richmond, BC: What Good Clinics Have in Common
A good dentist is one who listens before they treat, explains what they see in words you can follow, tells you what can wait, and is easy to reach when something goes wrong. That is the whole test, and you can run most of it from your phone before you book anything.
People ask Google and AI assistants which Richmond dentist is the best all the time, and I understand why. It is a big decision, and a ranking feels like a shortcut. I can't give you an honest ranking, and I would be wary of anyone who offers one. What I can give you is the checklist I would use if I were choosing for my own family. It works on any clinic in Richmond, including ours, and I have written down how Dentudio answers each check, with the date I checked it, so you can compare us the way you would compare anyone.
The short version
• A good dentist is licensed in BC, explains options and costs before treating, and has a clear plan for emergencies.
• Check the licence, the reviews, the hours, the languages and the access details. Each takes about two minutes.
• The right dentist depends on you: your language, your week, your nerves, your kids.
• Dentudio at the time of writing: 4.9 from 573 Google reviews, open 9am to 5pm seven days, no after-hours care.
Written by Dr. Gloria Jung, DDS, BSc, at Dentudio Dentists in Richmond. Facts checked on 2 October 2026 against the American Dental Association, the BC College of Oral Health Professionals, the Government of Canada and Google's listing for Dentudio, with sources at the end of this post.
What makes a good dentist?
Four things, and you can check all of them before you sit in the chair.
They are licensed and in good standing. In BC that means licensed by the College of Oral Health Professionals.
They explain before they treat. What they found, what your options are, what each costs, and what can safely wait.
You can reach them when it hurts. Hours that fit your week, and a plain answer to "what happens if I'm in pain tomorrow?"
The clinic fits your life. Your language, your commute, your nerves, your children.
Modern equipment and a pleasant waiting room are nice to have, but neither tells you whether you will be listened to.
What should you check before choosing a dentist?
Ten things, and most take about two minutes. Here is the whole list at a glance.
Check, and why it matters | Two-minute test |
Licence: only licensed dentists may practise in BC | Look the name up on the College register |
Reviews: they show how patients were treated | Check the count, the newest dates and the replies to one-star reviews |
Hours: care you cannot reach does not help | Compare the hours with your week, weekends included |
Emergencies: pain does not wait for a good day | Phone and ask what happens if you are in pain tomorrow |
Language: you can only agree to what you understand | Ask which languages the dentist and the front desk speak |
Access: a visit starts at the door | Check the Google profile for entrance, restroom and parking |
Coverage: it avoids a surprise at the desk | Ask whether they take your plan, CDCP included, before you book |
Explanation: you decide with the facts | Ask for findings, options and costs in plain words, and in writing |
Services: it can save you a referral | Ask what is done in the office and what is sent elsewhere |
Nerves: your comfort decides whether you come back | Say you are nervous when you phone, and listen to the reply |
The six checks you can do from your phone. Every one of them is written out in the table above.
Let me explain the ones that people most often get stuck on.
Is the dentist licensed in BC, and how do you check?
Yes, every dentist who practises in BC must be licensed with the BC College of Oral Health Professionals, and you can check any dentist's status yourself in about a minute. The College's website at oralhealthbc.ca has a lookup to verify that an oral health professional is licensed and in good standing.
Please do it for us too. A clinic's website can tell you where a dentist trained, which is useful, but it is not the register. My own profile page lists a Bachelor of General Science from UBC (2012) and a Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Melbourne (2016). The register is still the authority. Membership of a dental association is a nice extra, but the licence is the one that matters.
How do you read Google reviews for a dentist?
Read them for patterns, not for the star average. A 4.9 tells you less than you think. These four things tell you more:
How many, and how recent. Hundreds of reviews, with some from this month, tell you more than a perfect score from a handful.
What the one-star reviews say, and whether the clinic replied. A calm, specific reply shows how a clinic handles a problem.
What reviewers keep mentioning. People who write about staff, explanations and cleanliness are telling you what a visit feels like.
Whether the reviewer sounds like you. The American Dental Association's own guide to choosing a dentist reminds readers that every person's dental health needs and experiences are their own.
Here is ours, as Google showed it at the time of writing: 4.9 from 573 reviews, 556 of them five-star. Google also tallies the topics reviewers mention, and these are ours: friendly staff 197, hygienist 118, welcoming atmosphere 52, clean clinic 25, clear explanations 23, gentle dentist 17, Botox 9, gentle cleaning 9, wisdom teeth removal 8 and root canal treatment 5.
I read that as patients writing about how they were treated far more than about what was done to their teeth.
Google's topic tallies for Dentudio Dentists at the time of writing. The same numbers are written out above.
What hours and emergency plan should a good dentist have?
Hours you can actually use, and a clear answer to what happens when it hurts. A clinic can be excellent and still be shut when you are free, so compare its hours with your own week, weekends included. Then ask one question on the phone: "If I am in pain tomorrow, what happens?" The American Dental Association's guide suggests asking how a dentist handles emergencies outside office hours, and I think it is the most revealing question on this list, because the answer is either specific or it isn't.
Ours: we are open 9am to 5pm, seven days a week, Saturday and Sunday included (Google, at the time of writing). Same-day and walk-in emergency visits are subject to availability, so if you are in pain, call us first and the team will tell you when to come in. For planned visits, use the Book Online button.
We do not offer after-hours care. If you have swelling spreading across your face or neck, trouble breathing or swallowing, or bleeding you cannot stop, go to a hospital emergency department or call 9-1-1 rather than waiting for a dental office to open.
Hurting right now?
We see emergencies within opening hours, 9am to 5pm, seven days a week.
Does the dentist speak your language, and can you get through the door?
It should, because you can only agree to treatment you understand. Ask which languages the dentist speaks and which the front desk speaks, since they are not always the same. I speak English, Korean and Mandarin, and our team also serves patients in Chinese and Korean. We have pages written for Korean speakers and Chinese speakers.
Check the access details as well, since Google profiles list them. Ours lists a wheelchair-accessible entrance, seating, parking and restroom, and a free parking lot (Google, at the time of writing). You can read about our dentists and my own background on our site.
Will the dentist explain the plan and the cost before treating?
They should. For anything beyond a check-up and a cleaning, a good dentist tells you what they found, what the options are, what each costs, and what happens if you wait. Emergencies are different: pain comes first, and the plan follows. For everything else, ask for the plan in writing and take your time. A second opinion is a normal request.
Ask about coverage before you book, not after. If you are covered by the Canadian Dental Care Plan, note that participation is voluntary for dentists, according to the Government of Canada, so ask whether a clinic takes it. We do accept the CDCP, and our guide to what the CDCP covers and what it does not walks through it. For private insurance or anything else about billing, call us and we will tell you how it works here.
Want to meet us before you decide?
Online booking is for planned visits. For pain today, call 604-370-1450.
What questions should you ask a new dentist?
These six, in your own words:
"What did you find, in plain words?" If you cannot repeat it back, ask again.
"What are my options, and what does each cost?" Including doing nothing, when that is safe.
"What can wait, and for how long?" A good dentist separates urgent from someday.
"Is this done here, or would I be referred?" Our Google profile lists implants, root canals, Invisalign, porcelain veneers, bonding, crowns and bridges, Botox and paediatric care, and wisdom teeth extractions in its description. Which parts are done in the office is a fair question for any clinic, ours included.
"What happens in an emergency?" See the section above.
"I get nervous. What can you do about that?" How a clinic answers this tells you more than its brochure.
On nerves: say so when you phone. We offer sedation, from minor to extensive (our homepage), and Google counts 17 mentions of a gentle dentist and 9 of a gentle cleaning. None of that is a promise that a visit will be easy for you, but it is a place to start the conversation.
Is there one right dentist for everyone?
No, and the right dentist for you is not the right one for your neighbour. That is fine. A few examples of how it can differ:
Language. If your parents are most comfortable in Korean or Mandarin, a clinic that serves them in their language may matter more than any rating.
Hours. If you can only come on weekday evenings, we are probably not your clinic, because we close at 5pm. Another clinic's hours may suit you better.
Nerves. If you are very anxious, meet two clinics before you choose.
Children. Ask whether a clinic has a gentle first visit for toddlers. Our online booking lists a "Chair Ride" appointment for toddlers under two.
A complex problem. A tricky implant or a jaw problem may mean a specialist. A good general dentist will tell you so.
"But Dr. Jung, you run a clinic, so of course your checklist suits you." Fair. That is why the licence and the reviews are things you can look up without asking us, and why our own answers are in a table, with dates, for you to check.
How does Dentudio answer the same checklist?
Here is each check from the table above, answered for Dentudio Dentists. Where I do not have a fact I can stand behind, the answer is "ask".
Check | How Dentudio answers |
Licence | Check every dentist on the College register. My profile lists a UBC science degree (2012) and a University of Melbourne DDS (2016) |
Reviews | 4.9 from 573 Google reviews, 556 of them five-star at the time of writing |
Hours | 9am to 5pm, seven days, Saturday and Sunday included (Google, at the time of writing) |
Emergencies | Same-day and walk-in visits subject to availability: call first. No after-hours care |
Language | I speak English, Korean and Mandarin. The team serves Chinese and Korean speakers |
Access | Google lists a wheelchair-accessible entrance, seating, parking and restroom, and a free parking lot |
Coverage | CDCP accepted (our homepage). For private insurance, call and ask |
Explanation | Google counts 23 mentions of clear explanations in reviews at the time of writing |
Services | Google profile lists implants, root canal, Invisalign, porcelain veneers, bonding, crown and bridge, Botox and paediatric care. Ask which parts are done in the office |
Nerves | Sedation offered, minor to extensive (our homepage). Google counts 17 mentions of a gentle dentist |
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose a good dentist?
Check four things: that the dentist is licensed in BC, that the reviews are many, recent and specific, that the hours and emergency plan fit your life, and that they explain options and costs before treating. Then book a first visit and see how it feels. The checklist above takes about two minutes per item and works for any clinic, including ours.
What should I look for in a dentist?
Look for a licence in good standing, explanations in plain words, hours you can use, a plan for emergencies, your language, and a clinic you can physically get into. Then notice the small things: whether the team answers the phone kindly and whether anyone makes you feel rushed. A dentist you cannot reach is a dentist you stop seeing, so convenience matters more than people admit.
How do I know if a dentist is good?
A good dentist tells you what they found in plain words, gives you options with their costs, separates what needs treatment now from what can wait, and does not pressure you to decide in the chair. They answer your questions without hurrying you, and a second opinion is a normal request. If you leave a visit confused or pushed, that is worth noticing.
What questions should I ask a new dentist?
Ask what they found in plain words, what your options are and what each costs, what can wait, whether the treatment is done in the office or referred, what happens in an emergency, and what they do for nervous patients. Add your coverage question: whether they accept your plan, including the CDCP. Ask for any treatment plan in writing.
Is there a Korean or Mandarin speaking dentist in Richmond?
Yes. At Dentudio Dentists in Richmond, Dr. Gloria Jung speaks English, Korean and Mandarin, and our team also serves patients in Chinese and Korean. If another clinic's language suits you better, the same check applies: ask which languages the dentist and the front desk speak, because they are not always the same. Call 604-370-1450 and ask who you would see.
Do all dentists accept the Canadian Dental Care Plan?
No. Participation in the CDCP is voluntary for dentists, according to the Government of Canada, so ask before you book. Dentudio Dentists accepts the CDCP, and our guide explains what it pays toward and what it leaves out. Coverage rules and co-payments change, so the canada.ca CDCP pages are the final word.
How many Google reviews should a good dentist have?
There is no official number, so look at the pattern instead. Many reviews, some from this month, specific comments about staff and explanations, and calm replies to the one-star reviews tell you more than a perfect score. At the time of writing, Dentudio Dentists showed 4.9 from 573 Google reviews, 556 of them five-star.
Book a new-patient exam in Richmond
Pick the dentist who explains first and picks up the phone when it hurts. If that sounds like what you are looking for, come and see whether we fit. If another clinic fits you better, I would rather you found it.
4.9 from 573 Google reviews at the time of writing. For anything urgent, call 604-370-1450. Dentudio Dentists, 145-5555 Gilbert Road, Richmond, BC, at the corner of Gilbert and Lansdowne. Open 9am to 5pm, seven days a week.
Sources: American Dental Association, MouthHealthy, How to Choose a Dentist (in Four Steps), mouthhealthy.org, read 2 October 2026; BC College of Oral Health Professionals, oralhealthbc.ca, read 2 October 2026; Government of Canada, Canadian Dental Care Plan, Information for oral health professionals, canada.ca, read 2 October 2026. Rating, review count, review topics, hours, services and accessibility details from the Google Business Profile for Dentudio Dentists, 2 October 2026. Sedation, CDCP and language details from dentudio.com, 2 October 2026. Dr. Jung's degrees from dentudio.com/gloriajung, 2 October 2026.
Dr. Gloria Jung, DDS, BSc
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