Reader Pick
Cardiologist
Antonio Parente
Cardiology felt like an obvious choice for Antonio Parente after his 1984 graduation from Georgetown University’s School of Medicine. “It was just so satisfying to see people respond [to treatment] and feel better,” says the New York native. “That was the turning point for me.” By 1991, he was practicing at Arlington Cardiology Associates with a focus on interventional cardiology, a subspecialty that deals with the insertion of stents to open blocked arteries. The practice merged into Virginia Heart in 1997. Today, Parente sees about 100 patients per week, treating chest pain syndromes, atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and coronary artery disease. “I’m happy going to work every day,” he says. “It’s an incredible field.” –Stephanie Kanowitz
Other top vote-getters: Rachel Berger, Timothy Farrell, Charanjit Khurana, Michael Notarianni, Hassan Tabandeh, Eric Thorn
Editor Pick
Medical Cannabis Dispensary
Beyond/Hello
Arlington’s first and only cannabis dispensary is slated to open in late December, stocking the product many have sought as an alternative to traditional pharma in many forms, from tinctures and gummies to old-school “flower.” Owned by Jushi Holdings, the 7,500-square-foot Clarendon shop will be the company’s fifth in Northern Virginia. “Arlington being one of those central hubs of where individuals live, eat, enjoy, congregate…[it] was super important for us to be part of that community,” says Trent Woloveck, chief commercial director at Jushi. Newcomers who feel overwhelmed by the options can expect more than a casual greeting from the budtenders at Beyond/Hello. “Not too many people are super experienced with cannabis,” Woloveck says, so education is part of the business model. Patients currently need a medical marijuana certification to purchase in Virginia, but the company anticipates a seamless transition to retail once weed is legalized for adult recreational use in the commonwealth in 2024. –Stephanie Kanowitz
Reader Pick
Dentist for Kids
Michelle Keaney Flanagan
Michelle Keaney Flanagan can confirm it: She has patients who intentionally schedule dental visits on their birthdays. The Ballston practice she launched in 2015 has an air of festivity, with helium balloons, hallway lights that change color and ceiling-mounted TV screens above each dental chair. But there are other elements in the care equation that have gained parents’ trust, too. Unlike dental practices owned by management companies, the Northern Virginia native hand-selects the tools of her trade, from the specific type of fluoride used to filling material—“What I would use for my own kids,” she says. –Susan Anspach
Other top vote-getters:
Giannina Galliani, Rishita Jaju, Peter Markov, Edward Nelson, Nathalie Phaeton, Christine Reardon, Cris Ann Ternisky
Reader Pick
Primary Care/ Internal Medicine Practice
VHC Health Primary Care
Other top vote-getters:
Arlington Primary Care, Inova General Internal Medicine Group, Inova Primary Care – Falls Church, Kaiser Permanente Falls Church Medical Center, Northern Virginia Family Practice Associates, One Medical, PMA Health, Premier Primary Care
Reader Pick
Chiropractor
Edward Beck
Other top vote-getters:
Josh Angulo, Bill Booker, Cheryl Gottesfeld, Michael Moses, Kim Muzinski, Scott Muzinski
Reader Pick
Cosmetic Dentist
Stephen Mabry
Other top vote-getters:
Uppasna Chand, Philip Gentry, Manisha Grover, Karen Harriman, Joseph Khalil, Greg LaVecchia, Michael Rogers
Reader Pick
Urgent Care
Immediate Care by PMA Health
Other top vote-getters:
AllCare Family Medicine and Urgent Care, Inova Urgent Care, Old Dominion Urgent Care, Center Patient First Primary and Urgent Care – Falls Church, Urgent Care Center of Arlington, VHC Health – Immediate Care
Reader Pick
Mental Health Practice
Dodini Behavioral Health
Other top vote-getters:
Bloom Health Centers, Child & Family Associates of Greater Washington, Marin Associates Metropolitan Psychological Services, Michelle M. May, LPC, Potomac Behavioral Solutions, Sunstone Counseling, Weaver and Associates
Reader Pick
Senior Living Community
The Jefferson
Other top vote-getters:
Brightview Woodburn, Chesterbrook Residences, Culpepper Garden, Goodwin Living, Greenspring Senior Living, The Kensington, Falls Church Sunrise Senior Living, Vinson Hall Retirement Community