Best Cosmetic Dentist in Florida
“Best cosmetic dentist in Florida” shouldn't be a slogan. It should be a credential you can verify.
Any practice in the state can put the phrase on a billboard. Only a handful can back it with the profession's highest peer-reviewed distinction. Strupp & Brumm is the only practice in Florida — and one of only two anywhere in the world — with two AACD Accredited Fellows working together under one roof, a credential held by fewer than 100 dentists worldwide. This page is a patient's guide to finding — and verifying — that level of care anywhere in the state.
AACD Accredited Fellows under one roof
2
The only such practice in Florida
Accredited Fellows worldwide
Fewer than 100
The profession's highest cosmetic credential
From Tampa International Airport
~20 min
A short drive for patients across the state
Why It's Rare
Why fewer than 100 dentists in the world hold this credential.
Accreditation in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry is not a membership or a course you attend. It is earned by passing the profession's most demanding written and oral examinations and by submitting real, treated clinical cases to be judged — case by case — by a panel of peers who are themselves among the best in cosmetic dentistry.
Accredited Fellowship is the level beyond that: awarded only after an already-Accredited dentist completes a further body of peer-examined casework. Most dentists never attempt it. That difficulty is the entire point — it is why the credential separates marketing from substance, and why so few practices anywhere can claim even one Fellow, let alone two.
The Three Tiers
1. AACD Member
Open to any dentist who joins the Academy. A subscription — not an assessment of skill.
2. AACD Accredited
Earned through rigorous examinations and peer-judged treated cases. A genuine, verified distinction.
3. AACD Accredited Fellow
The highest tier. Fewer than 100 worldwide. Strupp & Brumm has two — Dr. Bill Strupp and Dr. Michael Brumm.
A Patient's Checklist
How to vet a “best cosmetic dentist” claim — anywhere in Florida.
Whether you're considering our practice or another, these are the questions that separate real credentials from marketing. Use them on any cosmetic dentist in the state.
Separate “member” from “Accredited” from “Accredited Fellow.”
Any dentist can join the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry — membership is a subscription, not an achievement. Accreditation is earned by passing rigorous written and oral examinations and submitting treated clinical cases judged by a panel of peers. Accredited Fellowship is the highest tier, awarded only after an Accredited dentist completes a further body of peer-examined casework. The words matter. Ask which one applies.
Verify the credential yourself at aacd.com.
You do not have to take anyone's word for it. The AACD publishes its Accredited members and Fellows. Search the dentist's name on the Academy's own site — if the credential is real, it is listed there. This single step separates marketing language from a verified, peer-reviewed distinction.
Ask to see the work — their work, not stock photos.
A serious cosmetic practice can show you dozens of its own before-and-after cases, not licensed images. Look for consistency across many smiles, natural translucency at the incisal edges, and results that don't look uniform or “done.” Ask specifically whether the photos are of patients the dentist personally treated.
Ask where the laboratory is.
The ceramist who layers your porcelain matters as much as the dentist who preps the teeth. Fewer than 3% of offices have an in-house laboratory. When the lab is in the same building, shade, contour, and fit can be refined in real time — critical for anterior cosmetic cases and full-mouth reconstruction, and nearly impossible across mailed revisions.
Ask who plans and executes the case.
At the highest level, one dentist plans your case, previews it with provisional restorations you can live with, and refines the design before anything permanent is placed. Ask whether you'll see a preview, who does the final work, and how revisions are handled if something isn't right.
Prefer to start with the procedures themselves? See our cosmetic dentistry overview and porcelain veneers, or read about our in-house laboratory.
Real Results
The work itself — no stock photos, no renders.
Every case below is an actual Strupp & Brumm patient who gave permission to share their result — smile makeovers, veneer cases, and full-mouth reconstructions crafted in our in-house laboratory. Browse the full set, with details, in the Smile Gallery.
Coming From Across Florida
A destination practice, an easy trip.
Patients travel to our Clearwater office from Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota and Bradenton — and from Naples, Orlando, and beyond — for cosmetic and restorative work at a level worth the drive. Clearwater is one of the most accessible destination cities in the state, and we plan every out-of-town case to make the logistics simple.
20 minutes from Tampa International (TPA)
Nonstop service from most major US cities and several international hubs, then a simple drive up US-19. St. Pete–Clearwater (PIE) is closer still at ~15 minutes; Orlando (MCO) is a ~90-minute drive when TPA lacks a direct from your city.
One to three dedicated trips, not many small ones
For complex cosmetic or reconstructive cases we sequence treatment into a small number of focused visits, so time spent traveling is time well spent rather than repeated short appointments.
In-house laboratory on-site
Because our master ceramists work in the same building, restorations are fit, adjusted, and refined while you're here — the reason out-of-town cases can be completed in fewer visits.
Concierge coordination
Our front-desk team helps with hotel bookings on Clearwater Beach, transportation, and a recommended visit structure tailored to your case. Many patients treat the trip like a wellness retreat.
Frequently Asked
Finding the best cosmetic dentist in Florida.
- What actually makes a cosmetic dentist the “best” in Florida?
- Marketing aside, the profession has one peer-reviewed measure of cosmetic excellence: Accreditation and Accredited Fellowship in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Fewer than 100 dentists worldwide hold Accredited Fellowship. Strupp & Brumm is the only practice in Florida — and one of only two anywhere — with two Accredited Fellows working together under one roof.
- How do I verify a dentist is an AACD Accredited Fellow?
- Search the dentist's name in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry's own directory at aacd.com. Accredited members and Fellows are listed publicly. If a dentist advertises the credential but does not appear, ask them directly which tier they hold — membership, Accreditation, or Fellowship — as the three are very different.
- What's the difference between an AACD member and an AACD Accredited Fellow?
- Membership is open to any dentist who joins the Academy. Accreditation is earned through rigorous written and oral examinations and peer-judged clinical cases. Accredited Fellowship is the highest level, awarded only after an Accredited dentist completes a further body of examined casework. The gap between “member” and “Accredited Fellow” is enormous.
- Is it worth traveling within Florida for cosmetic dentistry?
- For routine care, your local dentist is the right choice. For advanced cosmetic work — porcelain veneers, full smile design, full-mouth reconstruction — where the result is visible every day for decades, patients regularly travel from across Florida and beyond. Our Clearwater office is 20 minutes from Tampa International, and we structure out-of-town cases into as few visits as possible.
- Why do so few dentists hold this credential?
- Accreditation and Fellowship require passing the profession's most demanding examinations and submitting treated cases to be judged by peers who are themselves among the best in cosmetic dentistry. Most dentists never attempt it. That difficulty is precisely why the credential means something — and why fewer than 100 Accredited Fellows exist worldwide.
Compare every other cosmetic quote against this standard.
Tell us where you're coming from and what you're considering. We'll review your goals, answer your questions, and outline the right plan — whether you're around the corner in Clearwater or flying in from across the state.