Walnut Creek Dentist Holds Rare AACD Accreditation, Built a Practice Around One Question: Why Did This Happen?

WALNUT CREEK, CA — In a field where patients often collect a stack of conflicting opinions before ever settling on a treatment plan, Mona Lisa Smile Dental has built its entire practice around a different starting point: understanding why a problem developed in the first place. At the center of that approach is Dr. Mohammad Khandaqji, one of a small number of AACD Accredited cosmetic dentists in the Bay Area, a credential that requires demonstrated clinical excellence rather than simple membership. With more than 25 years of advanced clinical experience, a 4.9-star average across 64 reviews, and a 97 Dental.me Score, the practice has quietly become a destination for patients whose dental problems have resisted easy answers.

A Diagnosis-First Philosophy

Dr. Khandaqji's method begins long before any drill touches a tooth. Every new patient undergoes what the practice calls a Dental Stability Evaluation — a comprehensive, data-driven review of the teeth, bite, jaw joints, gums, bone, and airway, built specifically for patients who keep hearing the same frustrating refrains: teeth that keep chipping or breaking even after repairs, crowns or implants that didn't last, a bite that feels off, or jaw pain and tension headaches that never fully resolve. Rather than treating each symptom in isolation, the evaluation is designed to surface the underlying cause first, so that any plan that follows is built on solid ground rather than guesswork.

"I do not believe in patching teeth," Dr. Khandaqji says. "I believe in understanding why problems develop, creating a healthy foundation, and building smiles that are designed to last."

A Rare Credential, Built Over 25 Years

That philosophy is backed by a credential list that few general dental practices can match. Dr. Khandaqji holds AACD Accreditation, a Fastbraces Athena Award, and Fastbraces Senior Master Provider status, alongside an ICOI Fellowship and recognition as an Invisalign Preferred Provider. He has also been named a Global Dental Implant Academy member and has previously received Best Patient Care honors in 2017 and 2014 and a Best Practice & Team recognition in 2016. Over 25-plus years of practice, he has focused that experience on a specific niche: patients dealing with recurring breakage, failing restorations, complex bite problems, and full-mouth reconstruction, cases that typically demand more time, more imaging, and more cross-disciplinary thinking than a routine filling or cleaning.

Advanced Diagnostics and Signature Technology

The practice's commitment to "understand first, treat second" shows up in its equipment as much as its philosophy. Treatment rooms are outfitted with Vatech CBCT 3D imaging, giving the team a detailed, three-dimensional view of the jaw, airway, and bone structure before any restorative or implant plan is finalized. Digital scanning and Digital Smile Design allow patients to see their own images and understand findings directly, rather than relying on secondhand explanations. For patients facing inflammation or healing challenges, the practice also incorporates PRF (platelet-rich fibrin) biologic healing, using the body's own biology to support recovery before and after treatment. This diagnostic-first toolkit underpins the practice's four-stage Mona Lisa Stability Method: Diagnose, Stabilize, Heal, and Rebuild, a sequence built specifically to address bite instability, TMJ dysfunction, and inflammation before any cosmetic or restorative work begins.

The Patient Experience, and Giving Back

That same attention to the whole person extends beyond the treatment chair. Dr. Khandaqji volunteers with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry's Give Back a Smile® program, donating his expertise to help survivors of domestic and sexual violence rebuild their smiles and their confidence, and the practice has also participated in the Give Kids a Smile initiative. It's a reflection of a stated belief that dentistry is about more than restoring teeth — it's about restoring lives. Patients walking through the door encounter a reception lounge designed with comfort in mind, and the clinical areas blend that same calm with serious technology, pairing a a modern, welcoming atmosphere with CBCT imaging and Guided Biofilm Therapy equipment used during preventive visits.

Access: Hours, Scheduling, and Getting Started

Mona Lisa Smile Dental keeps a steady weekly schedule, open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM, giving patients several days each week to find an appointment that fits their routine, with the office closed Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The practice treats everything from first-time preventive visits to complex full-mouth rehabilitation, dental implants, TMJ and bite evaluation, sleep apnea appliance therapy, and Invisalign or Fastbraces orthodontic treatment, all funneled through the same evaluation-first process that defines the practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Dental Stability Evaluation?
It is a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of a patient's teeth, bite, jaw joints, gums, bone, and airway, performed before any treatment is recommended, so that care is based on a full understanding of the underlying cause rather than isolated symptoms.

What is the Mona Lisa Stability Method?
It is the practice's four-stage treatment framework: Diagnose, using objective scans and bite records; Stabilize, addressing bite instability, TMJ issues, or inflammation; Heal, using biologic support such as PRF when appropriate; and Rebuild, restoring function and aesthetics on a stable foundation.

What technology does the practice use for diagnosis?
The practice uses Vatech CBCT 3D imaging, digital scanning, and Digital Smile Design to evaluate the teeth, bite, and jaw joints and to walk patients through findings using their own images.

What are the practice's hours?
Mona Lisa Smile Dental is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM, and closed Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

What services does the practice offer?
Services include smile makeovers and veneers, dental implants, full mouth rehabilitation, TMJ and bite evaluation, sleep apnea solutions, Invisalign and Fastbraces orthodontics, PRF and biologic healing, preventive and general dentistry, emergency dentistry, and advanced diagnostics.

How can I learn about new patient availability, insurance, or financing?
Patients are encouraged to contact the practice directly for current details on new patient availability, emergency care, accepted insurance, and financing options.

About Mona Lisa Smile Dental

Mona Lisa Smile Dental is a Walnut Creek, CA dental practice led by Dr. Mohammad Khandaqji, an AACD Accredited cosmetic dentist with more than 25 years of advanced clinical experience. The practice holds a 97 Dental.me Score and a 4.9-star average across 64 reviews, built around a diagnosis-first philosophy, advanced CBCT imaging, and services spanning preventive care through full-mouth rehabilitation, implants, and orthodontics.

For more information about Mona Lisa Smile Dental, visit monalisasmiledental.com.

Verified Dental.me profile: https://dental.me/ca/walnut-creek/practices/mona-lisa-smile-dental-walnut-creek-ca/
Walnut Creek dentists on Dental.me: https://dental.me/ca/walnut-creek/
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