After having suffered 4 years of orthodontic torture, finding a dentist who is gentle and concerned with his patient's well being was of the utmost importance. Dr Stephenson is a "dental chicken's" dream come true! My husband, father and I are all patients of Dr Stephenson because he is the most gentle dentist any of us have ever encountered. His staff and dental hygenists are also very gentle and his receptionist treats the patients like an old friend. I have never had any pain associated with their work. When Dr Stephenson believed he needed to refer one of us to a specialist (ie periodontist and endodontist), he has sent us to the Wash, DC area's top practitioners in their field . And they too share the same gentleness and understanding.