About
Old Town Smiles
Discover The Difference
At Old Town Smiles, we believe that exceptional dental care is a blend of art, science, and empathy. Founded on a passion for comprehensive oral health, our practice is a space where patient comfort and advanced dental technology meet to create incredible experiences. Our team, led by the experienced and compassionate Dr. Seema Ahmed and Dr. Mohammad Barra, is dedicated to providing world-class care with a gentle touch.
Get to Know
Dr. Seema Ahmed
Dr. Seema Ahmed earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she was a Cognitive Neuroscience major with a minor in Spanish. She graduated with high honors, and was given the prestigious commencement distinction of Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Ahmed went on to earn her doctoral degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, the first dental school in the world. After earning her DDS, she completed her post-doctoral training in a rigorous, two-year general practice residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA, where she was selected as Chief Resident during her second year. During that time, she also completed a fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology.
Dr. Ahmed is known to examine her patients comprehensively, which helps patients better understand the correlation between their oral health and their overall systemic health. Her extensive hospital training has equipped her well to treat medically complex patients in the dental setting. She is passionate about the medical-dental interface and has a special interest in the dental recognition of sleep apnea, gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and the often-undiagnosed laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). She works with a network of physicians in her area to help facilitate patients in receiving the proper medical care to help improve complex disease co-management through multiple specialties. Dr. Ahmed has lectured at the national level on this topic to other dentists, as well as to medical doctors.
Dr. Ahmed’s clinical expertise is in occlusion (bite disorders), and she has extensive training and experience in the restoration of the worn dentition. She has developed a niche for treating patients with Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) and other orofacial pain syndromes, and routinely serves as a clinical consultant for other dentists and specialists in her area.
Dr. Ahmed has been recognized by her peers multiple times as a “Top Dentist” by Washingtonian Magazine, Virginia Living Magazine, Northern Virginia Magazine, and Consumer’s Research Council of America. She is a passionate and dedicated lifelong learner, and is actively pursuing additional post-doctoral coursework at the world-renowned Spear Education Center based out of Arizona, where she is a Faculty Club Member. She also participates in a local study club with other highly motivated dentists and specialists in her area, where they meet monthly to discuss complex patient cases and share ideas.
Dr. Ahmed understands that coming to the dentist, especially after a long hiatus, can be difficult for many people, and she goes to great lengths to create a warm, nonjudgmental atmosphere where her patients feel safe to discuss their dental goals, as well as their fears. When she’s not in the office, Dr. Ahmed loves cooking, baking, reading, and traveling, and spending time with her husband and family.
Get to Know
Dr. Mohammad Barra
Dr. Barra received his bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and his Doctorate of Dental Medicine from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.
As a member of the American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, and Massachusetts Dental Society, Dr. Barra is committed to continuing education, especially in the areas of cosmetic dentistry. Lately, his studies of digital smile design have enabled him to create the ideal smile for patients based on facial analysis, pre-existing dental conditions, and each patient’s individual preferences. This concept brings together technology and dentistry, and allows multiple specialties to view and share treatment options and create a complete comprehensive guide on how to care for the patient properly and restore him or her to ideal oral health.
Dr. Barra is passionate about addressing oral health as an integral part of overall systemic health, and shares many of the same philosophies as Dr. Ahmed in how best to diagnose and treat patients. He has extensive training in digital dentistry, and stays very up-to-date in the most cutting edge technological advances in the field. He is Invisalign-certified as well, and trained in a variety of restorative and surgical procedures. He has a very warm, personable attitude in his patient care that helps patients feel very comfortable, and we are confident that you will all love getting to know him and work with him just as we have.
Dr. Barra grew up in Northern Virginia before moving to Boston for dental school. He met his wife, Dr. Zarah Ali, while studying at Tufts. For the last 10 years they have made Boston their home and are excited about moving to DC! Dr. Barra enjoys traveling, cooking and cheering on all DC sports teams!
Our Caring Crew
Meet The Providers
Each member of our team brings a unique set of skills and a shared vision of providing the best dental care in a warm, welcoming environment. From our highly-trained dental hygienists and assistants to our knowledgeable administrative staff, we all work together to ensure your visit is nothing short of exceptional. Our clinical providers are highly trained and stay up to date on the latest research in their respective fields. Even Scotch participates in ongoing therapy dog trainings each year!
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Scotch
Certified Therapy Dog
Sara
Registered Dental Hygienist
Xavier
Registered Dental Hygienist
What You Can Expect
Your First Visit
We believe your first visit truly begins with your first phone call. When you call us here at Old Town Smiles, you will be warmly greeted by a member of our Business Team, who will make every effort to answer all of your questions and concerns and find you an appointment time that works best with your schedule.
Upon your arrival at your first visit, you will be taken on a brief tour of our spacious, bright and sunny office, before a private, one-on-one meeting with a member of our Business Team, who will begin to collect relevant information that you would like shared with the doctor and the team. It is very important to us to really get to know you, so that we can best serve your unique needs and goals. We do not rush this process; you will have all the time you desire for this step. If you prefer an abbreviated version of this, that will also be accommodated. We tailor to your preferences!
You will then be taken to your treatment suite, where you will be greeted by one of our highly skilled dental assistants, who will take a full set of x-rays and a full set of intraoral photos (individual photos of each tooth for better and more accurate diagnosis). The doctor will then come in and review your medical history and all information that has been gathered so far, and review that with you. You will then receive an extremely thorough oral evaluation, bite assessment, airway screening, and oral cancer screening. After this examination, the doctor will explain their findings with you in easy-to-understand terms and allow you to ask any questions you may have. We will give you our recommendations and also empower you to make the best decision for yourself based on various options presented.
After meeting the doctor, one of our highly qualified Dental Hygienists will perform a thorough gum assessment, where various measurements are done on each tooth to diagnose your gum health status and determine the most appropriate type of dental cleaning for you. In most cases, the cleaning is done the same day, and will be followed by fluoride varnish.
If you have dental needs that require further follow-up, you will either leave your visit that day with a written treatment plan, or, if your needs are more extensive, we will invite you back for a complimentary consultation to discuss your findings, our recommendations, and your options. If your needs are very complex and you would like to have a spouse or trusted family member with you at the consultation, you are more than welcome to do so.
Tech That Elevates Your Experience
Every tool we invest in allows us to provide the very best care for your smile.
Trios Digital Scanner
Laser Light Activation for Zoom In-Office Whitening
Professional TENSing Device for TMJ Pain
Dental CT scanner
Medibyte Home Sleep Testing Equipment
Odyssey Soft Tissue Laser
Multiple Nitrous Oxide Units
Hospital Grade General Anesthesia Equipment
Refreshment Bar
Custom Tea Blends
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones
Heated Eye Massagers
Warm Towels
Cozy Blankets
Comfort Clicker
Aromatherapy
Oraverse
Therapy Dog
Community Outreach
Giving Back to Old Town, Alexandria
At Old Town Smiles, we believe in the importance of giving back. That's why we partner with several local Alexandria organizations focused on serving youth and women in need, right here in our local community.
As sponsors of Wilderness Kids, we help get under-resourced Alexandria children out into nature, where they can help develop their sense of self, foster a sense of community, and connect to the outdoors.
Every Christmas, we host of Toy Drive benefitting a local women's and children's shelter for survivors of domestic violence, and we invite our patients to participate. Our patients go above and beyond in sharing their generosity and holiday spirit with their local community.
We also offer pro-bono dentistry in select circumstances, and have performed many life-changing makeovers for some of our less fortunate local Alexandrians. We are honored and humbled to be able to provide these services to our local community, who has supported us for over 35 years in Old Town Alexandria.
With all of these outreach efforts, we hope to continue to have a positive impact both for our patients and the community as a whole. Uplifting and supporting Alexandria really makes us smile!
