A Bethesda Magazine Top Dentist minutes from Bethesda — at Foxhall Square in Northwest Washington, DC
If you are looking for a dentist in Bethesda or Chevy Chase, two things are worth knowing straight away. Bethesda Magazine has named me a Top Dentist twice, in 2024 and 2026, on a list built by asking other dentists in the area who they would trust with their own patients. And my office is not in Bethesda, though it is closer than the District line suggests. Slate Dental is at Foxhall Square in Northwest Washington, one block south of American University, in the same quiet, residential part of the city that runs up to Bethesda and Chevy Chase.
This page explains what that recognition actually means, and why a number of my patients make the short drive.
What the Bethesda Magazine Recognition Means
Bethesda Magazine builds its Top Dentists list the way Washingtonian does: by surveying dentists across the area and asking which colleagues they would send a patient to. It is peer-nominated. It is not paid placement, and it does not measure marketing budget or review volume.
The two lists cover different ground. Washingtonian surveys the District and the surrounding suburbs. Bethesda Magazine covers the Maryland side of the DMV. Appearing on both means the recognition is not a local quirk — it reflects how dentists across the region describe the work.
I have been named a Bethesda Magazine Top Dentist in 2024 and 2026, and a Washingtonian Top Dentist in 2021, 2023 and 2025. In 2026 I was also named a Castle Connolly Top Dentist, a national list that likewise begins with nominations from other dentists.
I take these seriously, though not because awards are the point of the work. They are evidence that the work is being noticed by the people best placed to judge it.
Why Patients Come Here From Bethesda
Bethesda has no shortage of dentists, so the fair question is what is different here. The answer is not the award. It is what the practice is built to do.
One
Time, Actually Reserved
Appointments run 60 to 90 minutes. I see one patient at a time and there is no second chair. If your recent dental visits have felt like fifteen minutes in a queue, that is the difference you notice first.
Two
Comprehensive, Not Piecemeal
Much of my work involves patients who have had a great deal of dentistry over the years, some of it now beginning to fail. That calls for a full diagnostic picture and a sequenced plan rather than another isolated repair.
Three
Fees You Can See Beforehand
Very few practices publish what things cost. We do. You get a written, itemized plan with the exact fee for every appointment before anything begins.
Four
Parking That Is Not An Ordeal
A smaller point that matters more than it should. Foxhall Square has a covered garage on site with valet. Anyone who has circled downtown Bethesda before a dental appointment will understand.
Getting Here From Bethesda
Slate Dental is at 3301 New Mexico Avenue NW, Suite 332, on the third floor of Foxhall Square. From Bethesda and Chevy Chase the usual routes are River Road or Massachusetts Avenue, both of which bring you in from the north.
- Parking. Covered garage on site, with valet, plus free two- to three-hour street parking on New Mexico Avenue. No garage hunt.
- Hours. Monday through Thursday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Friday, 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
- Early appointments. The first appointment of the day is 7:30 AM, which suits patients commuting into the city.
- Directions. Open in Google Maps
What We Do
Slate Dental is a fee-for-service general practice focused on comprehensive restorative and cosmetic dentistry.
- Porcelain veneers and cosmetic smile design
- Full mouth reconstruction — for advanced wear, broken dentition, bite collapse, or failing past dentistry
- Dental implants, from single sites to full-arch fixed cases
- Ceramic crowns, onlays and bridges
- Tooth-colored fillings and conservative bonding
- TMJ evaluation and treatment
- Periodontal care, including scaling and root planing
- Hygiene visits — a full hour, with fluoride included
- Second opinions — bring your records and get an unhurried review
Where a case needs a specialist, I refer to periodontists, orthodontists, endodontists and oral surgeons whose work I know, and coordinate the plan so your care does not fall between offices.
What a First Visit Costs
The first appointment is a comprehensive examination at $162, scheduled as its own visit: a thorough exam, complete records, a review of your dental history, and an unhurried conversation about what you want from your care. If you have recent radiographs from your previous office, we use them when they are sufficient for a complete diagnosis; otherwise we take the images we need.
Every fee is published individually, and you receive the full written quote before anything begins. See our full fee and insurance page.
Using Maryland Insurance Here
Being fee-for-service does not mean your benefits go unused. We are in-network with Cigna DPPO and PPO plans, where your contracted rates apply. With other carriers we are out-of-network: payment is due at the time of your visit, and we submit the claim to your insurer for you, so any reimbursement comes directly to you. Many of our patients carry insurance and are reimbursed for a portion of their fees this way.
Reimbursement varies by plan and by your remaining annual maximum, so we will not guess at a percentage. You receive our fees in writing before treatment begins, and your plan can tell you what it will return. We also accept HSA and FSA cards.
Common Questions From Bethesda Patients
Are you actually located in Bethesda?
No. We are at Foxhall Square in Northwest Washington, DC, one block south of American University and a short drive from Bethesda by River Road or Massachusetts Avenue. The Bethesda Magazine recognition covers dentists serving the Bethesda area, which includes practices on the DC side.
Is it far from Bethesda?
Not really. It is a short drive down River Road or Massachusetts Avenue, with a covered garage at the building — an easy trip for a routine cleaning, not only for larger work.
Do you take Maryland dental insurance?
We are in-network with Cigna DPPO and PPO plans. With other carriers we are out-of-network: payment is due at the time of your visit, and we submit the claim for you, wherever your plan is based. Many of our patients carry insurance and are reimbursed for a portion of their fees this way.
How early can I be seen?
The first appointment of the day is 7:30 AM, Monday through Friday, which works well for patients commuting into the city.
Is parking difficult?
No. Foxhall Square has a covered garage on site with valet.
See the Work and Read the Reviews
We keep a smile gallery of actual patients, shown with their permission, from cosmetic and restorative cases. Looking at a dentist’s own work is the most direct way to judge clinical and aesthetic skill. You can also read what patients say in their own words.
About Dr. John Slate
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I earned my dental degree at Nova Southeastern University and have practiced restorative and cosmetic dentistry in Northwest Washington, DC for over a decade. I am a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. My focus has always been the kind of dentistry that lasts — work built on accurate diagnosis, comprehensive planning, high-quality materials, and meticulous execution. The peer recognition from Bethesda Magazine and Washingtonian is meaningful because it reflects respect from colleagues who understand what that requires. |
Slate Dental serves patients from Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Friendship Heights, alongside our Northwest DC neighborhoods of Foxhall, Spring Valley, Wesley Heights, American University Park, Cathedral Heights, the Palisades and Georgetown. Our office is at Foxhall Square, 3301 New Mexico Avenue NW, Suite 332, Washington, DC 20016.
Schedule a New Patient Consultation
The first step is a comprehensive examination. If you are coming from Bethesda or Chevy Chase, ask for a morning appointment and use the garage when you arrive.
BOOK ONLINE CALL (202) 686-5222
Monday through Thursday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM · Friday 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Or send us a message.
Last reviewed: September 2026
Verify Dr. Slate’s listing in the Bethesda Magazine Top Dentist directory, the Washingtonian Top Dentist directory, and on Castle Connolly.