I have been going to Dr. Garrett for years. She is by far the best dentist I've ever had. She is highly skilled. Additionally, she knows how to connect with patients. During every procedure I've had, she has been focused, patient, and communicative, which is super important when sitting through more complicated procedures. She always sense when I need a break or to take a breath. Her entire staff is great as well. I always get a quality cleaning with minimal discomfort. I have never felt pressured to buy additional products and they always manage to figure things out with whatever insurance plan I have at the moment. read more

We drove an hour to see Dr. Garrett because she is one of the few dentists in the area who offers ICON treatment, and it was absolutely worth it! She is professional, and both she and her staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming. We are beyond pleased with the results--my daughter had noticeable spots on her teeth, and now she has a beautiful, confident smile. Highly recommend Dr. Garrett for anyone considering ICON treatment! read more

This is a great small practice. Dr. Garrett is kind, patient, and a great practitioner. She is always able to work me into the schedule when I have a problem. read more

Unbelievably good, kind, ethical and professional. Dr. Garrett would never "push" products or dental procedures which were unnecessary. A true dentist who cares deeply about her patients and work. read more

My wife has been going to Dr. Garrett since she moved to Arlington 7 years ago. I generally go to whatever dentist is within walking distance of wherever I'm living at the time. I had no allegiance to any one dentist...just clean my teeth and I'll catch you later...unless I move between now and then. After moving into Arlington from Merrifield, ADS was within walking distance to my apartment and my wife recommended her, so I made an appointment. In my experience with dentists, there's generally not much that stands out. They tell you to brush more, floss your teeth, etc but the personal chit chat is generally limited...not so with Dr. Garrett. Her and her staff have known my wife for years and have heard about me before, so when I showed up, they were like "Oh Matt, we've heard so much about you! We love Hope!" They made me feel like part of a family rather than another patient with a number. I've been going here for a year and a half now and my wife and I are not in sync with dentist appointments, when we both go in, we update the staff on what we've been up to (mainly travels) and other stuff and they are sure to ask us about new things when they see the other person a couple months later. Friendly staff, easy walking location from the apartment in Arlington, treat you like family instead of just another patient. My wife said Dr. Garrett will be the dentist to our future non-existent children - let's just hope we stay in Arlington so I can continue to walk to these dentist appointments :). read more

I was a long-time patient of Dr. Garrett's and I used to love this office. I recommended it to all my friends and coworkers. Dr. Garrett and her team are a blast to be around, she's wonderful and has a great staff. In the end though, I let the fun and charm distract me from the quality of care, or lack therof. The first red flag was when I had some dental emergency. Pretty sure it had nothing to do with any work she had done, but I was in a lot of pain and needed a fix fast. It was difficult to get into contact with them, and once I did, because it's a single dentist practice, she couldn't see me until much later leaving me to deal with the pain for a long time. I don't remember all the specifics on this, it was a red flag, but seemed anomalous considering how much I enjoyed the place. The there was THE CROWN. I had already reached my insurance max for the year and had to pay over $1000 out of pocket for a crown. That was a lot of cash, but I knew I was doing the right thing taking care of the issue. What I didn't realize was that I was making a mistake by letting Dr. Garrett do it. I was flossing my teeth the day after it was delivered and a piece of leftover cement got lodged between the crown the tooth beside it. It was putted a lot of pressure on my teeth, and I couldn't get it out no matter what I tried. I began calling her office, but no one would pick up...I still have the times (2:18 pm, 2:33 pm, and 2:58 pm) I left several voicemails, but didn't get any calls back. I broke countless pieces of floss trying to remove the cement, my gums were bleeding from all the flossing, but the worst part of all was the pressure being distributed across all of my teeth. I found a nearby dentist who could see me same day. They carefully removed the cement along with lots of other remaining excess cement. They took lots of pictures including x-rays that clearly showed the crown was not making proper contact with the tooth beside it, and it had been shaped to create a food gap. They encouraged me to return to return to Dr. Garrett to have the crown replaced. An email thread followed with Dr. Garrett who it turned out was out of the country, and Dr. Pollock was filling in for her. The problem was her office manager Stephanie was not answering the phone or voicemails during the hours they were supposed to be open, so I was never made aware the Dr. Pollock was filling in or how to contact Dr. Pollock. The office manager Stephanie replied the next day explaining she closed the office at 1:30 pm essentially leaving no route for any patients with emergencies. We scheduled a follow-up appointment I returned to Dr. Garrett's office, she had the lab tech there who made the crown. They spent less than five minutes looking at it, both agreed they thought they had done great work, and I cancelled all follow-up appointments and told them they would never see me again. Last week that crown failed. It was the most recent dental work to go in and yet the first to fail. For all the money I paid and pain I endured, I got 1 year, 8 months, and 20 days out of the crown. I ended up returning to the dentist that saw me in my time of need, and they prepped it for a new crown today. It cost a small fortune, but I was happy to pay it knowing it would be done correctly this time...and I'm confident I will get more than 1 year, 8 months, and 20 days out of it. Last week I did send Dr. Garrett a follow-up email on that thread that began late July 2017 informing her that the crown had already failed, and that the entire time I had it, it was a painful food trap. She did not reply to the email. It pains me to write a bad review about Dr. Garrett and her staff. There's a part of me that still thinks they're wonderful people and perfectly capable of taking care of small routine cleanings and fillings, but when it comes to any major dental work, emergencies, or the risk of being in any real pain, allowing Dr. Garrett to be responsible for these things is putting yourself at risk to pay a lot of money for poorly delivered work, not have anyone to respond to any kind of emergency, and end up in a position where you may be in a lot of pain for a long time. read more

My family and I have been patients of Dr. Garrett for four years since first moving to Northern Virginia. I decided to post this review after seeing Frankie V.'s experience - the similarity of critical work failing multiple times is striking. In my experience, Dr. Garrett is more than adequate for minor dental maintenance (small cavities, cleanings, imaging etc.), but struggles with critical work which, as it turns out in my case, can be very expensive for the patient. There were also frequent issues with the billing - the practice had a tendency to overcharge for procedures and keep the excess until the next time, which in effect amounted to me making zero-interest loans to my dentist (multiply that across hundreds of patients for the big picture). Judging from my experience, for critical work ($$$$), Dr. Garrett is at best inept. First crown (put in sometime in 2015) turned black after 1.5 yrs (per my new dentist, likely due to the bonding agent used). This crown, which I assure you looked as AWFUL as it sounds, was replaced for me for *only* a small $250 lab fee. Then things got worse. The second crown was improperly set, resulting in significant discomfort (inflammation, pain, bleeding, sensitivity - the works) due to a large GAP present between the crown and bone, which then caused a biological width invasion. At a later visit I described the symptoms and showed Dr. Garrett the actual physical gap between the crown and tooth (which is apparently a major sign of a bad-fitting crown). Against my judgment, I allowed myself to be convinced that it was an issue with my 2 year old nightguard, which I was charged $400+ for a new one. At this point, the whole nightguard thing started to seem sketchy - which it certainly was, as I got a second opinion from a periodontist of my choosing. The periodontist confirmed that the crown was not at the proper level and that I require a crown lengthening procedure ($$$$$ + grinding bone and cutting away gum to fix). Dr. Garrett then had me get ANOTHER opinion from a periodontist of her choosing in the same building (cool - more $$$ out of my pocket), and then finally agreed with the assessment that the crown was bad. This happened AFTER making me a new nightguard ($$$$) despite my requests to not continue through with the order. There were a couple more administrative visits after that, but at this point I thought it was a good opportunity to switch dentists, because apparently I don't have enough bone left for a THIRD CROWN. I went ahead and got the crown lengthening procedure, as well as the new crown, done with a different practice. All in all, I spent a lot of unnecessary time and money on my dental care due to Arlington Dental Solutions, not to mention the physical pain endured. I tried to get some money back (NOPE!) but apparently there is little that can be done. Conflict mediation is possible ONLY IF the dentist is part of the Virginia Dental Association - which Dr. Garrett is not. The lesson here - buyer beware. read more

I dislike visiting the dentist just as much as anyone else HOWEVER i've found a dentist that is actually enjoyable to go to (well except for metal things being scraped over my teeth)! I think what makes Dr. Garrett so great is the attention she gives to each of her patients. I have never been to a dentist who is so thorough and discusses every procedure or possible procedure AND has emailed with follow up items or products to get. She asks questions and will answer your questions and give great advice. She really seems to enjoy her job and taking care of her patients and always has a smile. The information I have received in just a few visits have been quite valuable and helpful. I now have a new found love for flossing at least twice a day! If you're looking for a dentist who has your mouth/teeth's best interest in mind then definitely seek out Dr. Garrett. She's not just there to clean your teeth and send you out the door she does so much more! read more

This is by far the best dentist I have ever been to. Dr. Garrett has the most positive energy and it is contagious. This goes for everyone in the office as well. Everyone makes it a point to make you feel very comfortable. I can't say enough good things about my experience at Arlington dental solutions. read more

Dr. Garrett is the best!!!!! She has been my dentist for the last 4+ years and I have never had a bad experience with her. Before coming to her I hated dentist and dreaded making appts due to several bad experiences; when meeting her and her staff all that changed and I had no more fear or anxiety... If you are looking for dentist who actually cares about their patients and has Saturday hours. She is the person for you... I should also say that I never had a painful experience with her and I've had some pretty extensive work done in her office. read more

Fake! Don't let her smile fool you . She's an insurance fraud dentist . All she care is about the money. Not your dental care. Save your self a couple of thousands by going to her. You will thank me later!!!! She teams up with her specialist partner in the same building to empty your pockets . She over charges when she's supposed to be writing off the difference. Dr Fraud is her name. Very greedy inconsiderate. read more

Dr. Garrett was amazing. Her skills, her thoroughness, her helpfulness, and all the while she has an amazing personality. From the minute she spots you in the waiting room she makes you smile and feel comfortable (& this was on my first visit!). She does the entire appointment herself (cleaning, checking, polishing, and even will show good dental technique) and it was the best cleaning I have ever had! I'm glad I don't have a reason to go back tomorrow, but I would love too just because Dr. Garrett was so wonderful. (Don't let her receptionist throw you off, she's a tad bit hard to talk to if you have any questions besides just scheduling an appointment, but just repeat your question if need be, she's actually relatively nice.) read more

Dr. Garrett and her staff are the best! Dr. Garrett has an absolutely perfect "chair-side manner." I have been going to Dr. Garrett for about a year now, and I am thankful I found her, especially since she is located close to my office. I truly appreciate how Dr. Garrett takes a personal interest in me and thoroughly explains what is going on with my teeth and gums. I actually feel like she has closely examined every single tooth during my checkups, unlike other dentists I have been to in the past. I recently needed a crown put on one of my molars, and Dr. Garrett made the whole process as easy as possible. She had the foresight to refer me to a specialist to see if I needed a root canal before putting on my permanent crown. Although I didn't want to hear those words (root canal), she was correct in her assessment. The root canal process went well, despite my apprehension, and my permanent crown is in place and working perfectly! read more

I moved into the Maryland area about three years ago and I was desperate to find a new dentist. My friend highly recommended Dr. Garrett. Her office is located in Arlington, Virginia and it's extremely modern and chic. Dr. Garrett is amazing! She's so upbeat and friendly but also extremely professional. I'm slightly afraid of going to the dentist but she has an extremely gentle hand and is very knowledgeable about dentistry. I had three fillings and she explained each step thoroughly. Now my husband and kids all go to her. We love Dr. Garrett so much that we make the commute from Rockville! We love you Dr. G! read more

This is an amazing woman and Dentist...I had a tooth ache when she was out of the office..emailed and offer to call do what was needed. It was not so severe so I went in the next day and her care and attn to detail was awesome. I so strongly recommend her that I would stand on the street and spin a sign directing people to her office!! read more

I needed to find a new dentist in Arlington since my previous one was in DC and it was too time consuming for me to go into the city for appointments. I went to see Dr. Garrett upon a recommendation. She and her staff are very pleasant and I had a good experience with my routine cleaning. She recommended a night guard, which my previous dentist has never recommended before. (I went to him for over 12 years.) She pressed pretty hard about the night guard but I told her that I wanted to wait until I had my flexible spending for the new year. I noticed that she used old technology (films) for x-rays as opposed to digital. We had to wait for the x-rays to develop. At one point, the machine had an issue and she had to go fix it. Once the films were ready, she told me that I had a cavity. (I never saw the x-ray.) She said, "There's a dark spot." Only later, did I realize that she did not confirm the "dark spot" by checking my tooth. She just looked at the x-ray. Since I didn't know any better, I decided to schedule a time for it to be filled. This is when it went bad. I had the filling done and it was a terrible experience. She told me that the cavity was near my root where I had an old filling. There was a lot of blood and it was terribly sore later that day. Also, the bite seemed too high, so I had difficulty eating. When the numbing wore off, I also noticed that my tooth was extremely sensitive when I ate. I looked at the tooth that she filled and noticed that there used to be a filling from my previous dentist that Dr. Garrett replaced with hers. The new filling did not fill my old one entirely. I went back to see her and she buffed the filling so that my bite was better. She took more x-rays to see if there was a problem with the tooth but said she couldn't tell. Then she said to wait a few more days to see if the sensitivity would lessen. She gave me a bunch of fluoride to help. A few days later, I went back because the tooth was not getting better. She suspected that there was a crack and suggested that she redo the filling. Let me tell you, after such a terrible and painful experience, I was not keen on her reworking that tooth. I was also so frustrated that she couldn't tell what was exactly wrong with her outdated technology. I finally told her that I was not interested in having to be in pain again for several hours and left it at that. I found a new dentist who took digital photos of the affected tooth. He saw right away that there was a crack. He showed it to me and also showed me that the new filling did not entirely fill my old one. He also indicated that the new filling was not flushed against my tooth and there was a gap. He showed me the x-ray. This gap could cause more cavities since floss couldn't reach between there. So, there you go. He fixed it in under one hour and no problems since. Also, my new dentist told me that I don't need a night guard. Dr. Garrett was very pleasant and patient throughout my ordeal. But I would never go back to have her do any major work on my teeth. Her staff is also very nice and courteous. I called several times about my tooth issues and they always fit me in right away. read more

I love Dr. Garrett! She is a wonderful dentist who not only cares about her patients but follows up to ensure the best for their dental health. I first went to see Dr. Garrett to get ZOOM whitening performed. Great procedure, great results. 9 months later, the whiteness is still shining through all the Diet Coke and food I ingest. Since then, Hubby and I both started seeing her for our checkups and other tooth run-ins. Dr. Garrett's bedside manner really translates - she will email you suggestions and brands that you discuss during your visit. I don't know about you, but this makes it very easy to stay on track with dental hygiene (for me anyway). Overall, we are very very pleased that we found Dr. Garrett. I'm pretty sure it was through Yelp, so thank you yelpers for pointing us to her! read more

I was super afraid but she calmed me and was so very kind. I've found my dentist!

I am very impressed with Dr. Garrett's (as well as her staff's) professionalism, skill, and welcoming personality. I have visited her practice for everything from routine cleanings to root canals (she works with a great oral surgeon who's located in the next building), and I have always had a wonderful experience. I would definitely give give her office my full recommendation. read more

Best dentist in Arlington! So glad I found her as I had some horrible dentists while living here. Dr. Garrett provided me with great service and she truly cares about her patients. read more

I had a great experience at Arlington Dental Solutions! The staff was friendly, the hygienist did a great job cleaning and was very nice, and Dr. Garrett was really great. She did a full exam and took her time (much more thorough than other dentists). She asked me detailed questions about my routine, issues, concerns and then gave recommendations specific to me. I was very impressed because after going to several dentists in the past few years (due to moving), I felt that Dr. Garret is much more caring than most and wants to help you have the best dental health possible. I look forward to continuing to see her for regular exams & cleanings. read more

I can't say enough great things about Dr. Garrett. When I started seeing her years ago I hated the dentist and refused to go. When I found Dr. Garrett all of that changed and I refuse to go anywhere else! I changed insurance last year and she did not accept ny plan so I waited until I could get on my husband's plan which she accepts so that I could return to her care! I was very unhappy with my smile and she has really helped me love it! She treats her patients like family. She genuinely wants to know how your life is doing and is probably one of the sweetest kindest people I have ever met. She also happens to be very good at what she does and her staff is just as wonderful. I have recommended family, friends and co-workers because I truly trust her and the kind of care she provides that much! read more

I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Garrett's office. All of the staff is friendly and professional. Without insurance, it had been a while since I'd been to the dentist. The doc and Sara the hygienist did their best to get me everything I needed to get my teeth back in order. read more

I've been meaning to write this review for years. I've been going to Dr. Garrett for about six years and I look at her like family. Her staff is upbeat. The front desk person Sam is super friendly and Ilham has great customer service. I never have to wait in her office long and Dr Garrett is friendly. My smile looks so much better because of Invisalign and glo whitening treatments. She even made me a great mouth guard that I use quite often when I play football. read more

I would avoid this place. I went in and was told I needed 4 restorations. 6 months later one of those restorations has broken and the other 2 have cavities on the margin. That is the restoration may not have been sealed properly and bacteria made their way into the gap. While Dr. Garrett seems very nice, her work is subpar. I regret going here. Since writing this review I noticed several other people had similar issues. Also, as others have mentioned the office staff is pretty bad. You will have issues with them. Having said that, the work of the dentist is still the primary reason for my review. read more

Awful. Just awful. Do not go to this practice! Not only is the care sub par, but the billing department is awful. They incorrectly billed hundreds of dollars worth of medical claims. When trying to resolve issues they are extremely rude and unprofessional. read more

At first, I was fond of Tamara. She made me feel comfortable during my procedure and made me feel like she cared about my wellbeing. It's unfortunate that my opinion has severely changed. She did a botched job on one of my teeth and I now feel a sharp pain whenever I bite down. When doing work on one of my back teeth, she nicked the adjacent tooth creating a nook that is now susceptible to cavities. She over charged me for a few procedures and claimed that I had cavities on certain teeth where other dentists informed me that there were not any. These are just a few of the operational issues that I have experienced at this practice. Tamara niceness is just a facade to get more money out of her patients. I would not recommend her. read more

Dr. Tamara Garrett is THE UTMOST SUPERB dentist you will find in the area. She's pleasant, reasonable and gives you all the pertinent information to keep your chompers looking fabulous. She takes special pride in knowing each and everyone of her clients and making sure they feel special. read more

I am writing this review as a former employee of Dr. Garrett to give perspective from a dental professional's point of view. Unfortunately, after having the pleasure and honor of working with her for a little over a year, I purchased a home too far away to continue to make the commute to Arlington. Had this not occurred, I would have definitely worked in this practice for many years. Her integrity and compassion truly set her apart from any dentist I have ever worked with. I would trust her with my family and friends as well as to do work in my own mouth. I feel very strongly for Dr. Garrett both as a professional and a friend and don't normally write reviews for previous employers but feel compelled to do so in this case. If you have any fear of going to the dentist, that will certainly disappear with one visit to her warm office. Take it from a hygienist that knows the behind the scenes aspect of a dental office. Dr. Garrett is every bit as wonderful as she seems on all counts. I will miss working there terribly. read more

Beyond taking GREAT care of my teeth, Dr. Garrett and every one of her staff members are the incredibly friendly and warm. Furthermore, the front desk staff took the time to walk through how my insurance corresponded to each of the services. They provide a very comfortable, clean environment where I feel valued as a patient and customer. read more

Dr. Garrett is a rock star among dentists. She is outstanding at what she does, and also probably one of the friendliest people I've ever met. She takes as much time as necessary to do quality dental work, and makes going to the dentist even kind of fun. I'd recommend her in a heartbeat to anyone looking for a dentist in the Ballston/Virginia Square area. The one thing that some people may not like is that while her office is modern, it doesn't have all the latest high tech equipment, but her outstanding skills and demeanor more than make up for it in my book. She tends to come in early and leave early, so keep that in mind when scheduling. Her receptionist can be a bit ditzy at times, but is generally very good at dealing with scheduling, insurance forms, and other administrative details. read more

Just moved to the area a few months ago and must say I was very pleased so far as a patient of Arlington Dental Solutions. Dr. Garrett is incredibly friendly and very detailed in her work. She took the time to discuss my dental history in detail and did the cleaning herself. I would highly recommend this practice to someone in need of a new dentist in Arlington, VA. read more

Just had another great checkup with Dr Garrett and her fabulous team! She's always so cheerful and knows her patients by name, and keeps appointments on time. In reading CW's post, I'd like to update the information to say that Dr Garrett now has digital technology and the office has undergone a total renovation. Dr Garrett too recommend a night guard (as did previous dentists for my TMJ) but I was resistant given my history using big and hard mouthguards (both prescription and over the counter). Dr Garrett prescribed a small bottom-only night guard and I'm amazed, (yes, amazed) that it's comfortable and works and I wear it every night. In fact, if I forget, which is rare, I feel the difference the next monring. read more

I just got a root canal from her, and it wasn't even all that painful. I can't think of a bigger compliment than that. Even for the scary stuff, she calmly talks you through what's going to happen ("you're going to feel a sting for three seconds"). Great, great, "bedside" manner. read more

Dr. Garrett is the best dentist in Northern Virginia! She's very friendly and the office staff is pleasant and helpful in scheduling Saturday appointments - just have to be committed in keeping them. I'm very pleased with the recent work done in replacing my fillings and after the procedures I don't even have pain. Our 5 year old son also sees Dr. Garrett for his dental checkups/cleanings and he LOVES her because she's very gentle and understanding...nothing like the other pediatric dental offices where I've had to hold him down. read more

I can't recommend Dr. Garrett enough. If you are looking for a new dentist, she is the best. She is so thorough, skilled and patient. She will call you or email you to follow-up if you have questions, and she cares about all of her patients. She is extremely personable. She explains everything to you, and best of all, she usually does the cleaning herself! When was the last time you actually had a dentist do your cleaning? Call her today! Plus, she works two Saturday's a month, which is great. read more