Second Opinions · Coral Springs, FL

Before you commit to a large treatment plan, get a second look.

You've been handed a treatment plan — several crowns, extractions, implants, maybe tens of thousands of dollars. It may be exactly right. But you're the one who lives with the outcome, and confirming the reasoning before you commit isn't distrust. It's diligence.

Book a second-opinion evaluation Call or text 754-240-4820

Dr. Dillon walking a patient through radiographic findings at MSD Dental Studio in Coral Springs, FL

Should I get a second opinion before $20,000 of dental work? For treatment that is extensive, expensive, or irreversible — multiple crowns, extractions, implants, full-mouth work — yes. A fresh examination either confirms the plan, letting you proceed with confidence, or surfaces alternatives worth weighing before anything irreversible happens. A confident yes is as valuable an outcome as a different answer.

If you want to understand how to evaluate any second opinion — including ours — start with our guide: Getting a Second Opinion on a Dental Treatment Plan. It covers when a second opinion is worth getting, what records to bring, and the warning signs to watch for in either plan. This page is about what happens when you get one at MSD.

Why two good dentists can disagree

Dentistry contains genuine judgment calls. A tooth with a deep crack and an aging crown can reasonably be watched, re-crowned, or extracted — depending on how the dentist weighs its structure, its prognosis, and your goals. A worn bite can be maintained or rebuilt. A questionable root canal can be retreated or replaced. Two competent clinicians can look at the same X-ray and weigh the evidence differently, and both can be practicing responsibly.

That's precisely why a second opinion has value. Not because someone must be wrong — but because for large, irreversible treatment, you deserve to know where the judgment calls are and what the reasonable alternatives look like, before you commit.

What a fresh evaluation actually means

We don't inherit another office's treatment plan and quote our price for the same work. We start over. Your evaluation at MSD includes our own examination of:

Photographs of your teeth and existing restorations
Radiographs — yours if available, our own digital imaging as needed
Periodontal measurements and gum health
Remaining tooth structure, tooth by tooth
Decay — active, arrested, and recurrent
Cracks and fracture lines
The condition of existing crowns, fillings, and implants
Endodontic status of root canal-treated teeth
Your bite and how force is distributed
Your goals, priorities, and constraints

Then we explain what we see, in plain language, with the images in front of you. If our conclusions differ from the plan you brought in, we explain exactly where and why the reasoning diverges — findings, not personalities.

We don't inherit another office's treatment plan. We perform our own evaluation and explain what we see.

Three honest outcomes

Sometimes less

Some teeth slated for crowns can be restored more conservatively, monitored, or left alone. When we believe less dentistry is the better answer, we say so — and explain the reasoning tooth by tooth.

Sometimes different

Same problem, different route: an onlay instead of a crown, saving a tooth instead of replacing it, a phased sequence instead of everything at once. Different isn't better by default — we show you the tradeoffs.

Sometimes full agreement

When the original plan is sound, we tell you that plainly. Two separate evaluations reaching the same conclusion is not a wasted visit — it's the confidence you were missing.

You are never obligated to transfer your care to us. Some second-opinion patients return to their original dentist and proceed with confidence. That is a good outcome, and we treat it as one.

What to bring

Your existing radiographs and treatment plan with fees, if you have them — you're entitled to copies, and requesting them is routine. Older X-rays are especially useful because they show whether a finding is new or has been stable for years. If records aren't available, we take our own imaging as part of the evaluation. Bring your questions written down; the ones worth asking are in the guide.

What it costs

A comprehensive examination with full digital X-rays and a written plan is available at a set fee for patients without insurance, and most PPO plans cover comprehensive examinations. Implant and clear-aligner consultations are complimentary. We keep current figures on our insurance & payment page so they stay accurate rather than aging quietly on a service page.

Who performs the evaluation

Second-opinion evaluations at MSD are performed by Dr. Matthew Dillon and Dr. Shantall Di Loreto — the two dentists who own the practice. Dr. Dillon is a general dentist with advanced continuing education in restorative, implant, and comprehensive dentistry, including Kois Center training and a Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry (MAGD). For complex cases, the two doctors review findings together: two sets of eyes, one written evaluation.

Because we're an independent, doctor-owned practice, no one here works against a production target. The evaluation is the product — not a doorway to a predetermined treatment plan. Larger cases often continue into our complex restorative care process; many don't, and that's fine.

We see second-opinion patients from Coral Springs, Parkland, Coconut Creek, Tamarac, Margate, and across North Broward — most often for plans involving multiple crowns, extractions, implants, or full-mouth treatment.

FAQ

Common questions about second opinions

Should I get a second opinion before $20,000 of dental work?

For treatment that is extensive, expensive, or irreversible — multiple crowns, extractions, implants, full-mouth work — yes. A fresh examination either confirms the plan, letting you proceed with confidence, or surfaces alternatives worth weighing before anything irreversible happens. The cost of a second opinion is small relative to the treatment it evaluates, and a confident yes is as valuable an outcome as a different answer.

Will you criticize my current dentist?

No. We discuss findings, not people. Competent dentists can weigh the same evidence differently, and a second opinion that opens by attacking the first dentist is telling you something about itself. Our job is to explain what we see in your mouth and why — including when we agree with the original plan.

Do I need to bring my records and X-rays?

It helps, but it isn't required. You are entitled to copies of your radiographs and clinical notes, and existing images let us compare over time — sometimes the most useful information is whether something has been stable for years. If records aren't available, we take our own imaging as part of the evaluation.

What does a second-opinion evaluation cost?

A comprehensive examination with full digital X-rays and a written plan is available at a set fee for patients without insurance, and most PPO plans cover comprehensive examinations. Implant and clear-aligner consultations are complimentary. Current figures are on our insurance & payment page.

What happens if you agree with my original treatment plan?

Then you've learned something valuable: two separate evaluations reached the same conclusion, and you can proceed without the doubt that was holding you back. You are never obligated to transfer your care to us — some second-opinion patients return to their original dentist with confidence, and that is a good outcome.

Already have a large treatment plan?

We’ll evaluate it ourselves — our own imaging, our own reasoning, explained in plain language. Sometimes less, sometimes different, sometimes full agreement. Either way, you'll know.

Book a second-opinion evaluation Or call or text 754-240-4820