Shane R Costa, DDS

While there is much to like about Dr. Costa’s staff and office, I don’t like it when I’m being surreptitiously upcharged for non– covered services. Specifically, I was told that my insurance would only pay for 50% of the charges to which I responded that it covered 80%. After some checking the staff came back and said that it would only cover 50% of the total bill. That’s because the bill included a substantial charge for an alternate lab that was «better». After declining this additional service it was amazing that my insurance did in fact cover 80% of the cost. I found the staffs communication about this topic to be obfuscatory at least, others might have found it deceptive.

Dr. Costa does several things I like, such as leaving a voicemail after appointments to followup. Nevertheless, the majority of interactions I have had with his practice have been negative. For example:
1) In 2015, I had 2 temporary and 1 permanent crowns placed by Costa’s office fall out and was charged over $ 150 out of pocket to get them re cemented because I had maxed out of my insurance coverage for the year. I didn’t think it was fair that I was charged to get the crowns recemented, especially the permanent one since it shouldn’t have fallen out in the first place. I protested but I was required to pay anyways.
2) My dental insurance changed last year. After this change, during my next visit to the dentist I asked if my new insurance was still covered, and I was told by the receptionists that it was. What she didn’t tell me was that it was now «out of network», so the co-​pays would be much higher. I didn’t learn this until the end of the year when I demanded more information why my dental bill for the year was so high ($ 4,000+).
3) Nothing irks me more than after paying for a dental procedure at the office and then getting an invoice in the mail several weeks later for another large outstanding balance. THIS HAPPENED EVERY TIME WITH DR. COSTA’s OFFICE. Not sure why this was the case, but it obscures the true costs of the procedures.
If you are willing to pay any amount for your teeth, I recommend Dr. Costa’s office. But if you are looking for a fair deal, I recommend looking elsewhere.

Dr. Costa is fantastic. I’m generally uncomfortable with medical procedures and I’ve had two fillings with him; no pain, no stress. The office is always inviting; love the upbeat (yet not annoying) music; organized staff (Abby is my favorite hygienist); they do a great job of making you feel comfortable and welcome.

I have been using Dr. Shane Costa for years. His hygienists are very personable and always seem to remember you. The entire staff is very friendly for that matter. The lobby and the work areas are extremely clean. If I ever have an emergency issue they seem to get me in very quickly. Dr. Costa is a straight shooter and has a great calming demeanor about him. He explains everything to you in great detail. He always puts trying to preserving my teeth ahead of everything else. I have had several crowns and several fillings done there and have always been more than pleased with the results. The crowns and filings are my own fault of course for poor oral care at home. He also referred me to an awesome orthodontist and some other top notch doctors as well. Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing you at my next cleaning.
Brian McCracken

After 8 years with my previous dentist I decided to make the switch to Dr Costa after several strong recommendations. I was reluctant at first but very happy I made this switch. Dr Costa revealed several things not mentioned to me by my previous dentist that caused some real concern. Dr Costa spent significant time explaining the issues and developing a plan to correct. My experiences in his office have been extremely positive. Friendly staff, always stick to the the schedule and never feel rushed when I have questions.
Highly recommend.

I have been in the dental field for 20yrs. Dr Costa is by far the most competent and capable dentist I have met. Some might say «who paid for the flat screen tv and glossy ads?» Dr costa provides comfort AFTER contributing to local businesses, children’s programs and helping the indigent community. There is a reason he has been recognized by respected professionals and publications. He upholds the highest standard of care in accordance with the recommendations by the American academy of dentistry. If he were Greedy he wouldn’t offer no interest payment programs? Would you like to do a task for work and not be compensated for two years?
Not many dentists are open on Fridays. Dr costa uses this time for continuing education, as well as investing in his staff’s continuing training. He has every confidence in his knowledgable assistants. He takes pictures during treatment so the patient can see what he sees and be able to ask questions to understand treatment.
Communication is easy and painless. E-​mails and text messages to confirm and schedule appointments. There is a missed appointment fee. The first one is usually waived. Unfortunately life/​job can get in the way. A patients time is reserved for individual attention. Repeated missed appointments takes away from other patients opportunities. How many Drs offices even let you get of a fee even the first time? Unfortunately we live in a society that an immigrat über driver said «just scream at them and you’ll get your way.» Is that the society we live in?
Today we are taught to be involved with treatment, dentistry isn’t any different.
For those with one or two bad experiences need to turn that finger around. Again, I dare you to find another more competent, caring, educated and giving dentist in the area. It’s not possible. Negative reviewers-​you are a stastistic. Have you written more good than bad? Doubtful.
Let me know what you find, then let me know the meaning of life… Both are a mystery to me. You?

Personally I liked Dr. Costa but from the Service I received, I needed to give him 1 star
Pro’s
* He has a nice new innovated office.
* He and his staff are very personable.
* If you are just going to a cleaning and you don’t have a lot of dental work, you should be fine.
Con’s
* I went to Dr. Costa for a cleaning and a crown that was bothering me in October 2014. Dr. Costa replaced the crown in January 2015. I returned 4+ times to have my night guard adjusted. After the 4^th time, I decided it was time for a new Dentist. The new Dentist immediately sent me to get a root canal. My night guard was no longer useable after so many adjustments from Dr. Costa and his staff (sometimes I didn’t see Dr. Costa all all). I contacted Dr. Costa and requested some compensation for the night guard since a new one costs around $ 500. After chasing his staff for 1 month, I was told if he didn’t make the night guard he wasn’t responsible.
* The office is extremely busy and Dr. Costa jumps from one patient to another. He doesn’t seem to remember his patients and how often he has seen them. I was in his office 5+ times and I never saw less than 3 people patients in the office at one time.
* I would not recommend Dr. Costa to a friend.

My husband found Dr. Costa about 8 yrs. ago. Our whole family has been going to his practice ever since and love them! I am always welcomed by the front desk staff with a friendly greeting. Michelle and Tasha are very professional & helpful. They always take me in at my appointment time. I’ve never waited. I go to the same dental hygienist, Abby. She is wonderful & thorough. Abby feels like an old friend. She always asks about my family and stuff going on in our lives. Dr. Costa looks over my teeth; answers any questions that I have and is always very friendly. Dr. Costa is also really good about checking in on how my family is doing.
I am a big baby when it comes to pain. I needed to have a filling that was close to the root replaced. I asked if I could have for anesthesia that I didn’t have to bear the procedure being awake. Dr. Costa brought in an anesthesiologist just for me. Now, he has Dr. Browning on staff for patients like me.
My daughter who is 8 yrs. old loves going to Dr. Costa’s. She says Abbie & Dr. Costa are nice and she never feels any pain. She has been going since she was 4 years old. At her first appointment she was introduced to «Mr. Chompers», which is their giant friendly-​looking stuffed dog w/​teeth. Abbie showed my daughter how to brush her teeth by using a large toothbrush on Mr. Chompers and then showed my daughter on her own teeth. Dr. Costa has children my daughter’s age so he completely relates to kids.
The whole atmosphere in the office is welcoming. I would highly recommend Dr. Costa’s practice to anyone — adults and children!

Dr. Costa and his staff are a great team with superb professionalism. He is very detailed and explains everything that is being done. If you ever need a dentist in Northern VA area I highly recommend his office. Keep on doing the great work!

I have been coming here for years for my regular dental cleanings and I can’t say enough good things about them. Dr. Costa and his staff are always friendly and efficient. I have referred many neighbors and coworkers to the practice.

This office is Top Notch! Dr. Costa’s office is as good as it gets. I arrived for my appointment and explained that I was in a bit of a time crunch. The staff got me in and out without the appointment being rushed. It’s clear why Dr. Costa is a Top Dentist by Washingtonian. His thorough exam was informative and didn’t hurt a bit. The office is clean and modern… it’s worth the drive if you aren’t close by!

I very highly recommend Dr. Costa to anyone looking for a quick, courteous, and professional dentist in the Tyson’s Corner /​Fairfax area.
I’ve been going to Dr. Costa for the past two years, and I’m hooked. I’ve had multiple cleanings and a few cavities filled by Dr. Costa and his staff, and the work done was as painless as a visit to the dentist can be. The last time I had a cavity filled, I never saw nor felt the Novocain he used to numb me, nor did I experience any pain while he filled my cavity.
His staff is courteous and kind and were able to answer all of my dental-​related questions. When they took my X-​Rays last, they showed me the images on a computer monitor next to the dentist’s chair and pointed out any issues, making sure I understood what I was looking at.

He needs to stop spamming people. I have not been able to unsubscribe from his email list for three years. Even after asking his staff in person. And since it comes from his personal email address, which I emailed once, I cannot seem to mark it as spam. The only reason I gave them my email address was so they could forward me xrays, which they actually lost. So no xrarys, but yearssssss of email marketing.
Another time, after asking which teeth he filled, he responded with dentist jargon, a number and letter which corresponds to those teeth. He should focus efforts on making that information understandable and useful, instead of spending cash on marketing. If he emailed a generic graphic of teeth, and then embedded that as a guide so we would know what exactly he did, that would be helpful. Instead you go in, get work done on your mouth and come out not exactly sure what happened. My mechanic emails me which parts were replaced on my car and the modle numbers. My dentist emails me slick marketing material.
The worst part is that when I asked which teeth were filled, weeks later he said it took a while to find out who I was since I don’t use my full name in my email (out of personal safety reasons). To me, that is the worst of all. You send people marketing info, but you don’t have good enough CRM to know which email address is your current client.
I am no longer one of Dr. Costa’s current clients.
That being said, his staff does clean teeth well.

My visit to Dr. Costa’s office was for a regularly scheduled cleaning and it went very quickly and smoothly, which is really how I like a dentist appointment to go. I was called in for my appointment right on time. The staff was helpful and courteous. After my cleaning, Dr. Costa spent time with me to make sure he answered any questions I had. Overall, this is a great office and I would highly recommend!

I work in the Tysons area, and was recommended to go see Dr. Costa by a family friend. At first his location of «Great Falls» seemed far, but his office is right off of Route 7, and was only about a 10 minute drive from where I work. His office is up-​to-​date, accompanied by a friendly and knowledgeable staff. I have since referred other co-​workers to go see him, and they like Dr. Costa just as much as I do!

I want to start off by saying that I hate going to the dentist. I put off going constantly. It had been about a year since I visited my old dentist from my time living in Maryland. With my upcoming wedding, my soon-​to-​be-​wife, made it clear that I was not going to ruin the pictures with a smile that was less-​than pearly white. So I did a little research and came across Dr. Costa.
My first trip to Dr. Costa’s office was for a long overdue cleaning and check-​up. The doctor and his staff were great. I felt welcomed from the moment I walked in the door. I was taken care of from the start. Even the usual overwhelming paperwork when becoming a new patient was easy and painless. The office space was modern and not at all what I am used to from past dentist and doctor offices that seem to not have been updated since the early 80s that I have experienced in the past.
Abbey, the dental hygienist, gave me my teeth cleaning. She was great. At first I was first self-​conscious having an attractive woman look at my neglected teeth, however after only a couple minutes of small talk, she had me relaxed, and even enjoying the fact that a relative stranger had me in such a compromising position.
After some X-​rays of my now clean teeth, Dr. Costa came and inspected my mouth and teeth. Again, a relative stranger had me relaxed in a short time and his explanation of what he was seeing was very insightful. By the end of my first visit, Dr. Costa and his staff had made my years of hate of the dentist disappear.
My second visit was for a fitting for a Whitening Tray. I was in and out quickly and again experienced the friendly atmosphere I had felt the first visit. The trays ended up working great. My teeth have never looked better and my now wife did not have to beat me for ruining our wedding pictures. In fact, people that have known me for years were blown away how good my teeth looked.