Dr. Graham Forbes
Cosmetic and restorative dentist in Richmond, Virginia. Founder and sole treating dentist at Capital Dental Design. Full-mouth rehabilitation, dental implants, and porcelain veneers.
Dr. Graham Forbes has had a lot of dentistry. A lot. Braces twice. Invisalign. Crowns. Root canals. Re-doing crowns and root canals. Tooth fracture. Bone grafting. Three times. Implant. And of course, bleaching with regular maintenance and hygiene. This is just so far. Dr. Forbes completed a two-year general practice residency at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The residency at Wake Forest included training in everything from full smile rehabilitation to participating in their level 1 trauma center. Anything dental-related, Dr. Forbes has either had it done himself or has seen it before.
Why does this matter? By drawing from such a broad range of training and experience, Dr. Forbes is able to relate to each person he sees in a comprehensive, patient-centric way. A plan is developed for each patient to explore what is possible and clearly define the steps to realize that plan. A plan could be as simple as routine six-month hygiene appointments or as complex as coordinating interdisciplinary care among specialists before proceeding with final esthetic restorative care.
With your goals in mind, Dr. Forbes will approach your dental care in the same way he approaches his own dental care.
Education & Experience
Dr. Forbes is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. His Bachelors of Science in biology was accompanied by a minor in English and a concentration in molecular, cellular, and biological chemistry. He graduated as a distinguished graduate with Institute Honors, the highest academic achievement at the Institute. His education at VMI was augmented by a study abroad at Oxford University. Dr. Forbes spent all four years at VMI on the cross country and track teams, where he ran the 5k and the 10k. Dr. Forbes received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia, where he was on the MCV honor court for two years and was on the Dean's list.
Following his time at VCU, Dr. Forbes completed a two-year residency at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In his second year, he had the opportunity to be the chief resident of the Department of Dentistry. His broad training here included several months in the Emergency Department, working in the fields of Otolaryngology and Anesthesia and as part of the cleft lip and palate team. He has provided care in over 100 operating room cases and over 60 IV conscious sedation cases, along with maintaining a more standard private practice presence in the attached dental clinics.
Dr. Forbes' post-graduate education includes over 1,400 hours of continuing education. He has been heavily involved in the continuing education curriculum at Spear Education. He has traveled to Munich, Germany, to learn from Dr. Markus Hürzeler and Dr. Otto Zuhr and has traveled to the Beverly Hills Dental Laboratory to learn from Michel Magne and Dr. Nazariy Mykhaylyuk. He works with a dental operating microscope to ensure precise and esthetic outcomes.
Dr. Forbes strongly believes that continuous learning improves his ability to deliver the best care for his patients possible.
Affiliations
Dr. Forbes is an active member of the Academy of General Dentistry, where he has been awarded a Fellowship (FAGD). He holds Affiliate status with the European Academy of Esthetic Dentistry (EAED) and is an Associate Fellow with the Greater New York Academy of Prosthodontics. Dr. Forbes serves on the faculty of the Pikos Institute and has completed the Spear Education continuing education curriculum.
Personal
Dr. Forbes is a native of Richmond, Virginia and graduated from Collegiate School. He runs and plays golf occasionally.
Awards
Richmond Magazine Top Dentists and Virginia Living Top Dentists are peer-voted honors — dentists in the region nominate the colleagues they would send their own patients to.
RICHMOND MAGAZINE — TOP DENTISTS (annual, peer-voted)
- 2021: Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry
- 2022: Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry
- 2023: Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry
- 2024: Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry, Prosthodontics
- 2025: Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry
- 2026: Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry
In 2024, Dr. Forbes was named in Prosthodontics in addition to Cosmetic and General Dentistry — a peer-voted recognition of complex restorative and reconstructive work.
RICHMOND MAGAZINE — SUPER STAR DENTISTS (consistency honor, 6+ years)
- 2025: Cosmetic Dentistry
- 2026: Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry
VIRGINIA LIVING MAGAZINE — TOP DENTISTS (peer-voted, single specialty listing)
- 2024: General Dentistry
- 2025: General Dentistry
- 2026: General Dentistry
Published Magazines
TEACHING
Dr. Forbes serves as faculty at the Pikos Institute, an internationally recognized center for advanced dental implant education. He teaches Patient-Centered Dental Treatment Planning, a course helping dentists develop comprehensive diagnostic and treatment planning skills for restorative, cosmetic, and interdisciplinary cases.
Links:
https://www.pikosinstitute.com/about-us/faculty-and-leadership/dr-graham-forbes
PUBLICATIONS
Dr. Forbes's clinical work has been published in the peer-reviewed esthetic dentistry literature. He is first author of a 2023 clinical article in the International Journal of Esthetic Dentistry, the official publication of the European Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, indexed in PubMed. With master dental technician Joshua Polansky, he also authored "Laboratory-Generated Digital Concepts in Modern Dental Communication for the Restorative Team: Creating the Virtual Patient" in Quintessence of Dental Technology (2023), on digital treatment planning and clinician-laboratory communication in complex restorative cases.
Forbes G, Lammot L, Polansky J, Kefi R. IJED Espresso. International Journal of Esthetic Dentistry. 2023 Oct 11;18(4):328-329. PMID: 37819561.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37819561/
Polansky J, Forbes G. Laboratory-Generated Digital Concepts in Modern Dental Communication for the Restorative Team: Creating the Virtual Patient. Quintessence of Dental Technology. 2023;45.
https://www.quintessence-publishing.com/usa/en/product/quintessence-of-dental-technology-2023
Case Study #1
Overview of Case: This wonderful patient was dissatisfied with the uneven edges and color of her upper teeth. We always work with the end in mind. To this end, the design phase is critical. Our initial design lengthened the teeth at the edges, reversing the wear, and increased the height in some areas at the gumline, restoring the lost space due to shifting. The final result is very natural and fits the patient's smile and face well. We were so happy this patient trusted us to provide this care!
Case Study #2
Overview of Case: This wonderful patient came to us as a referral from a local oral surgeon. Her lower teeth were painful and mobile due to gum (periodontal) disease. We developed a plan that transitioned our patient from fixed appliances to her final hybrid. The final prosthetic consists of a high-performance polymer and individual crowns for maximum esthetic, fit, and feel. This entire process took about six months, and the patient was thrilled with the final result!
