Meet Dr. Agarwal

Dr. Agarwal with his son Yash

It’s not a surprise that Dr. Tarun Agarwal became a dentist. After all his father was a dentist in India and he grew up wanting to be a dentist. In fact, he was one of a handful selected to enter an accelerated six year dental program at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. Dr. Agarwal graduated UMKC Dental School in 1999 at the age of 23. By age 25 he opened his private dental office in Raleigh, NC.

T-Bone, a nickname given to him by his wife – Mona, is a life-long student of dentistry and is committed to being the finest dentist possible. In an effort to help patients understand their dental conditions and to document his clinical cases for critiques, Dr. Agarwal turned to photography. This commitment to excellence led him to share his clinical cases and opinions on DentalTown and in dental magazines early in his career. The satisfaction he gained from sharing and helping others sparked a passion for teaching other dentists.

This passion for sharing and teaching inspired Dr. Agarwal to found the Townie Meeting with Dr. Sameer Puri in 2003. The Townie Meeting, held in conjunction with DentalTown Magazine and Dr. Howard Farran, is held each spring in Las Vegas, NV. The Townie Meeting is attended by dental professionals from around the world. It is known as one of the best meetings in dentistry! Following the success of the Townie Meeting, T-Bone started the Over the Shoulder program with Dr. Puri to help dentists incorporate Cosmetic Dentistry into their practice. The seminar is recognized for its no nonsense, logical approach to Smile Design and porcelain veneers. The ‘OTS’ program has sold out every date since 2003.

Still filled with a passion to share and teach, Dr. Agarwal made the decision to reach his audience through his teaching website – www.tbonespeaks.com, his time on DentalTown, and a limited number of in-office seminars held in Raleigh, NC. Combining an online presence and courses at his office, Dr. Agarwal can have the best of both worlds!

Raleigh Dental Arts

Started in 2001 as a ‘cash based’ fee for service practice, Dr. Agarwal nearly went broke by end of 2001. After coming to his senses and getting a dose of reality, T-Bone made the decision to work with dental insurance, break down barriers to patient growth, and stop listening to “DO-DO’s” (Don’t own, Don’t Operate dental practice lecturers). The difference was felt immediately. However, committed to his goal of being the best dentist possible, he didn’t allow insurance to dictate treatment choices or materials. He simply viewed participation with insurance as an advertising vehicle and a ‘method of partial payment’ for the patient. Even though he works with dental insurance, Dr. Agarwal has been able to invest in technology, participate in continuing education, build the cosmetic portion of his practice, and maintain a healthy profit. Having satisfied the basic financial obligations of the practice, Dr. Agarwal started a 3 year transition to reduce insurance participation in 2007.

Raleigh Dental Arts utilizes the following technologies – Digital Radiography with Scan-X, Single visit restorations with CEREC, Microscope enhanced dentistry, soft tissue diode laser, hard tissue Waterlase, Cavity detection with Diagnodent, Digital Photography, Eaglesoft, Smile Reminder patient communication, and Galileos 3D CBCT imaging.

Dr. Agarwal’s practice has been featured on CBS, ABC, NBC, Triangle Business Journal, Indus Business Journal, News & Observer, Triangle Lifestyles, New You, and was the official dentist for News 14 Carolina’s Monday Makeover series.

Philosophy of Sharing and Teaching Dentistry

Today there are literally hundreds and thousands of dentists teaching clinical dentistry. The vast majority of them no longer practice dentistry full time, espouse techniques that aren’t practical for the typical general practice, or even worse make product recommendations based on financial kickbacks. T-Bone’s approach to teaching is based on sharing cases and thoughts with a ‘down to earth’ personality. He is approachable, upfront, honest, and straight to the point. He brings a refreshing ‘real world’ twist to dental education.

Dr. Agarwal’s passion for excellence, energy, and enjoyment of dentistry is immediately apparent and you will love his ability to integrate clinical excellence, practical techniques, and practice enjoyment! After all he is a ‘wet fingered’ full time practicing dentist…