It is shown how regular model sets can be characterized in terms of the regularity properties of their associated dynamical systems. The proof proceeds in two steps. First, we characterize regular model sets in terms of a certain map $\beta$ and then relate the properties of $\beta$ to those of the underlying dynamical system. As a by-product, we can show that regular model sets are, in a suitable sense, as close to periodic sets as possible among repetitive aperiodic sets.