Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Brett Stein.
Hi Dr. Brett, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Like many kids in suburbia, I spent my days playing sports and running around with friends—but privately, I had two passions: art and science. Most of my free time was spent in the basement at my workbench, running experiments or sculpting tiny clay figures, which I’d sell on the playground.
Dentistry runs deep in my family—my grandparents, uncle, and father were all dentists. With that kind of firsthand exposure, it didn’t take long to realize that dentistry lies at the intersection of art and science. Still, I wanted to be sure it was the right path for me. I shadowed doctors across various medical and dental specialties—many of them longtime friends of my father.
My dad, like his father, is a prosthodontist—a specialist in replacing missing teeth and tooth structure, with a strong focus on disease, biocompatibility, function, and esthetics. In many ways, it’s tooth-related arts and crafts with a dose of biomechanics: a perfect blend of form and function. By the time I entered dental school at the University of Pennsylvania, I had a strong sense I wanted to follow in his footsteps. During our first year, we practiced procedures across all dental specialties on mannequins, and I quickly realized that prosthodontics came most naturally to me.
By the end of dental school, I was one of the few students admitted into the Clinical Honors Program, which provided close faculty mentorship and access to a private clinic on the top floor. I graduated with honors and was awarded Hanau’s Best of the Best in Prosthodontics.
After dental school, I was admitted to the Prosthodontics Residency at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine—an ideal situation, bringing me back home to Boston and close to my father. I had the great privilege of completing my three-year specialty training and earning a Master’s in Medical Sciences while moonlighting at my dad’s office on Saturdays.
I graduated as chief resident and immediately dove into full-time private practice, splitting my time between my father’s office and several others in the area—sometimes working in three to four practices a week.
I was busy—and busy was good—but I quickly noticed something: despite 11 years of higher education, I had the least experience in the area of dentistry with the highest demand: esthetic dentistry. Why? Because patients who visit dental schools are often seeking affordable care, not elective treatments like veneers. Time is traded for cost savings, and as a result, cosmetic procedures aren’t as commonly performed in that setting.
So there I was—a Harvard-trained prosthodontist in high demand for a procedure I’d barely done. I devoted much of my personal study to mastering the latest techniques in esthetic dentistry. And who better to learn from than my dad—and Dr. Michael Apa.
In the dental world, Dr. Apa is a legend in esthetic dentistry. From afar—on Instagram—I watched his work with fascination. His results were not only exceptional; they were prolific. He was posting major cases daily—the kind of work that would take me a month to complete. I was eager to understand how and why his process was so effective.
Deep down, I knew I was among the best at what I did—but as far as I could see, Apa Aesthetic was operating at the highest level. Sure, Dr. Apa had treated celebrities like J.Lo, Bad Bunny, and Kendall and Kylie Jenner—but that’s not what attracted me. What drew me in was the precision and esthetic quality of the work—not just by him, but by associates fresh out of dental school.
After several years of private practice in Boston, I had become very confident in veneer cases. Around that time, I heard Apa Aesthetic was opening a location in Miami. I went to New York to interview, and it was there that I discovered what I had been missing—and what I truly wanted to be part of.
Dr. Apa saw patients differently. He didn’t just fix what was broken; he enhanced their overall facial esthetics. That was the missing piece. My eyes opened. One of my mentors in the Clinical Honors Program at Penn used to quote Dr. Morton Amsterdam: “We all have eyes to see, but we only see what we know.” After nearly a decade in private practice, I was finally seeing clearly—and I have Dr. Apa and the amazing team around him to thank for that.
Leaving my dad’s practice in Boston was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. But when he sees how my work has evolved over a decade in private practice, he’s nothing but supportive. In the end, I carry lessons and inspiration from my father, from Dr. Apa, and from all the mentors I’ve had along the way. I’ve used those pearls of wisdom to develop an esthetic vision that’s uniquely mine—executed at the highest level dentistry has to offer.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the hardest decisions I’ve made was leaving Boston, where I practiced alongside my father. We share a deep bond through dentistry—one built on mutual respect, shared passion, and a constant drive to improve. Even now, not a day goes by that we don’t “talk teeth.” We trade cases, explore new techniques, and offer honest critiques. We’ve always pushed each other to be better.
While our connection remains strong, the idea that I would one day take over my father’s practice has gradually faded. Letting go of that vision wasn’t easy. But today, I’m genuinely happy practicing in Miami—where I like to think I give my patients something besides the weather to smile about.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I see myself just as much an artist as I am a doctor. My specialty is cosmetic—or more precisely, esthetic—dentistry. What I’m most proud of is my ability to recreate the natural morphology of teeth in dental prosthetics. What truly sets me apart, however, is my skill in enhancing that natural form—improving upon it in subtle ways that elevate a patient’s appearance while still looking completely natural to the average observer.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
When I was 14 I was in Sports Illustrated for ski racing. I raced internationally until I was 18 years old. At one point I was ranked first in the nation and top 15 in the world in my skiing discipline.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://apaaesthetic.com/team/dr-brett-stein/
- Instagram: @dr.stein.iii
Image Credits
Miguel Ducos took all of the included photos
