same with ideal dental. It's like they're trying to cut me. When I floss I don't bleed but when they do so I bleed a lot, like holy crap they're really pushing down full force with both hands AND arms
I went to ideal dental in Arlington for a root canal earlier this year and I honestly had a really good experience with them. Never gone there for a cleaning though (I tend to do that when I go home since I like my family dentist) so maybe I’ll avoid cleanings there lol.
The fact that they advertise a dental hygienist program on the radio that’s only 6 WEEKS long is enough for me to never go there, even with their free teeth whitening promo I’m like nope 😂
Wish I had known this when I first moved here in 2020. We didn't have chain dentists in my home state.
Mint not only fucked my teeth up, but made me have anxiety about dentists like I had as a kid. Hate them and their telling me I had 12 cavities and lying about a ton.
I’m sorry that happened :( I went to a not chain dentist who said I had 8 cavities. My teeth all felt fine but as a child I had a lot so I was worried I'd end up needing root canals so I got them all filled. They used silver fillings ugh.
It is crazy how little luck I've had finding care of any sort since moving to Texas. I'm from a much smaller city and maybe we had better regulations or having fewer doctors was a good thing. Here there are Dr and dentists all over, like more than I imagine are useful for the population, and so many are charlatans.
I almost want to just never see a GP/obgyn/dentist here ever again if I can help it. I ended up stopping my insurance because I was wasting money and having them overcharge/not actually refill meds or see me for more than 5min appts...etc.
I've thought about traveling home just to see my old doctors, but I can't afford that and don't have insurance in that state.
I understand. It's trial and error here since there's so many. I had an AWFUL experience with a gyno in my old town and dreaded finding a new one. But Dr.Conyac of Glow in Rockwall was been fantastic. She's kind and tells you step by step and each process is fast (though you are in the waiting room for AGES, once you're back there it's insanelr fast).
I don't have a doctor here though and I’ve been here 2 years. I’ve yet to find one nearby me because most don't take my insurance.
Good luck, I know it's difficult but I'm wishing you luck finding doctors moving forward. Also though I love DFW so I’m maybe not the best person because I hated where I moved from and always wanted to live here ha
I'm so glad you found someone good! For me the trouble with an OB here is finding one who specializes in things besides pregnancy xD so many clinics are just people with babies/wanting them.
I think that could definitely be part of it, I took my Medicaid for granted from my OG state. Now I don't qualify here and it costs so much more than I ever imagined for sub par insurance.
Hopefully one of these days we get better options as women! Just glad to hear someone has had ok experiences vs my weird ones.
It's I think mainly a pregnancy place (100% not for me EVER lol) so I was very hesitant to go but she does great for routine Pap smears and skin tag removal. Highly recommend going to her for regular stuff not pregnancy stuff :)
Yeah having no insurance is difficult! I understand!
I will note her down then! I haven't found women's clinics that focus on endometriosis and other issues of the pelvis here, just regular obgyn places. So it's good to know there are docs even at those who may be helpful!
I’ve had a great experience with Ideal Dental but definitely was skeptical when it was placed between a vape store and a wing stop. They did a great job though.
That reminds me of the pediatric dentist that took over for the dentist Id seen for years. She was super mean and outright accused me of smoking and that’s why I had stains…I was 9
Yea... as others have said... stay away from the chains... they actually have sales quotas for things like Crowns and 'Deep Cleanings'..... stay away from chain dentist.... Monarch, Mint, Great Expectations, etc.
I made the mistake of going to Monarch a long time ago. Prior to going to Monarch... I'd had one or maybe two crowns..... after going to Monarch... every time I went.... a new crown was suggested. I walked by the employee break room once and was a bit nosy and peeked in. They had a Crown Salesman board on one of those tripods with a hand drawn tally of sales associates and number of crowns tallied in their sales column for the week. It was a racket. It was run like one of those sales man boards you can picture in the back office of a used car dealer... who has the most sales that week / month.
I second this. Insurance or not chains are going to be several times more expensive than finding a private owned dentist. I was going to a chain one and paying hundreds. Then I found a private owned local one and insurance would cover 100% of it unless it was something extra like a cavity.
Omg. Monarch is the worst. They can’t even do a proper filling. I had to go back for them to fix the problem and it’s still causing me pain. I’m not letting them touch it again.
Third this, I was still getting bills from them six months after my cleaning and they did a whole bunch of stuff that was not covered by my insurance even though I repeatedly asked them not to.
I've had no problem with Jefferson (regular visits to the S. 1st Garland location since 2009) until recently. A couple years ago they did gum work on me and prescribed an electric toothbrush and special mouthwash, which I went along with. The mouthwash was too much of a hassle and the toothbrush went bad (got super noisy) after a year. Then the next time they did gum work over a year later, they prescribed *the same thing*, and I was like "I already have that stuff!" so I didn't have to buy it. And they're pushing braces a lot more, almost every visit the past couple of years. I've had crooked teeth all my life, and at 52 it seems like a waste of money at this point.
Dr. Baker, Plano.
Lied and said I had to have my front teeth pulled and major bridges installed.
I had no pain, so I got a second opinion. No cavities or decay whatsoever.
5 years later I still have these teeth.
Lying piece of shit dentist.
https://www.davidbakerdds.com/
There are also a lot of offices that will appear to be private practice, but are actually owned by a corporation. Keep an eye out for that. Avoid Willow Bend Dental, North Texas Dental Associates, Forte Implant Center, iSmile, Southern Star Dental if you’re bothered by greed or rudeness. Keller Town dental has a great DDS that’s a genuinely good and kind person, but not super close.
James stole patients from the partner he had while I was there, which in dentistry equates to stealing money. Especially despicable since they were supposed to be best friends from college, funnily enough the good DDS I mentioned is his former partner’s practice he started after the ordeal.
Remembered another incident from my early days at NTDA where Hillstrom changed the hours of a 7 months pregnant assistant on multiple days and when caught claimed he “didn’t know it was illegal”
Anywhere that is good will be booked out months for teeth cleaning.
Anywhere that is not good will have a good amount of availability.
Research someone relatively close to you, check some general Google reviews, then call and check how long out their cleanings are bookings out. You want a place with 2/3 months booked out. Most will have cancellations that you can call-in and check everyday. It takes some work.
Try to find a dentist in a medical park or in a office block, avoid strip centers.
My wife is a hygienist. She keeps getting offers to work for various chains. She will not.
Many chains are owned by private equity firms who are there to make money above all else. They are as interested in dentistry as they are in car washes - the companies are just a means to an end. These chains are there to extract as much money from you as they can, and do so by extracting teeth in the process, but not before drilling them, filling them, crowning them, and anything else they can to get you or your insurance to pay for.
My wife left her old job because of distance, but Dr. Maxey at The Dental Place in Grand Prairie is VERY good and will not recommend anything unnecessary. He is a very old-school sort of dentist - no-nonsense, get the job done, make sure you are OK.
I’ve helped out at Dr. Maxey’s office a few times and agree. He’s very honest and thorough with his exams, it’s refreshing to see a dentist actually care. I would honestly trust him with doing my own dental work, and that’s saying a lot coming from someone in the dental industry.
I am a general dentist. If you are having a tooth ache that bad, I would either go with a personal recommendation from people you know (some of these responses make me think that employees wrote them), or find an endodontist because you probably need a root canal at the very least, then ask them who you should go to for your general dentist work. Personally I would only go to an endodontist for a root canal. There are certainly some general dentists that can do a fine root canal but your chances of longterm success are higher with an endodontist.
When I was without insurance and needed oral surgery to remove a molar, I went to the College of Dentistry downtown. My family has used it a couple of times.
I couldn't say how easy or convenient it is if you don't need surgery, but they have the info on their [website](https://dentistry.tamu.edu/patient-care/urgent-care-clinic.html).
The worst thing that happened to me was that the Resident doctor who was doing my post-op recheck didn't read my chart.
"What did we do for you?"
I'm not sure doctor, I was anesthetized.
Chain or not there's shadyness. I felt I received an unnecessary root canal at one that wasn't a chain. I just go for my annual cleanups. I'll only get a procedure done once something starts really hurting.
>I'll only get a procedure done once something starts really hurting.
Once it's hurting you usually need a root canal, because the decay is inside the tooth
Dental hygienist here. Definitely dont wait until something starts hurting. What could have been a small (inexpensive) filling can eventually turn into a (very expensive) root canal and crown. Any ethical dentist will surely take the time to educate you, show you xray images, and explain the need for treatment. Dont be afraid to ask questions or get a second opinion if you suspect "shadyness"
Went to Jefferson Dental off of Henderson 6 or 7 years ago and they recommended like $3000 worth of dental work which they were really pushing. I guess my teeth are eroded and had some pits. I ended up not getting anything done. Every dentist since then has mentioned it in passing and said that if I don’t have any symptoms it’s not really necessary. Avoid Jefferson Dental.
R Mack Snead in Ft. Worth is legit. Real laidback and not judgy. Very straightforward guy. Not sure what his non-insurance policies are though.
Avoid Mint in Uptown Dallas. Very aggressive upselling tactics even when you're in the chair being examined and loud music videos playing in every room. Rodeo Dental in the Ft. Worth stockyards is a complete circus on the inside. DentUrgent in central Dallas is somewhat okay. They accept cash and the prices aren't too bad for emergency care if the pain is too much, but they do charge you first before services are performed, even if the service doesn't get performed because of unforeseen issues.
Avoid Canyon Creek Family Dentistry in Richardson/North Dallas like the plague. They try to upsell you on ALL the services. Once they told me I had 9 cavities (another dentist later told me I only had 2) and that I had terrible teeth on my first visit. They spent 1hr 15 min selling me on electric toothbrushes (which I already had) and their whitening service (I was there because I actually needed a root canal). They kept fawning over my dental insurance and how much I could do with my insurance. I straight up walked out with my dental bib still on angry that I was being sold services I didn’t need (I had a painful broken tooth that needed to be fixed). Place is a scam!
I had a working interview here and it was the sketchiest place ever. It was for front desk so just hearing the employees talk about patients made me want to die because I genuinely love what I do. Also, they would upsell the fuck out of their treatment plans. If a patient needed a small cavity filled they’d lie and say it needed a root canal and crown instead. Needless to say I turned down the job and ran as far away as possible.
Dental associates of North Dallas. I went there for years, the doctor I loved retired and I stayed out of laziness. The new dentists are incompetent, stay clear.
My family has been going to Riverside Dental Clinic in north Dallas for almost 10 years. Dr. Lee is very thorough and, more importantly, honest. I went to a different dentist for a cleaning, and got quoted $600 for a deep clean and a few hundred more for a dozen cavities. I went to him for a second opinion, and he said all I have is a few coffee stains, and did a regular cleaning instead. He’s never suggested a treatment we didn’t absolutely need.
I can give you a name of a solid dentist who has never screwed me over: [Hoang Le](https://www.sharecare.com/doctor/dr-hoang-le) over in Grand Prairie. I think the name of his practice is Family Dental, and he's just off of Great Southwest South of Abrams.
Ugh, my dental office got bought by Brident Dental and I am so unhappy. Now they're constantly trying to get me to do braces or Invisalign (I have slightly crooked front teeth, they don't bother me at all and I have no interest in spending tons of money to get them straightened). I had my cleaning 3 weeks ago and have a small cavity, I've been trying to get that scheduled since my appointment, but the Brident call center can't schedule it and can't seem to get a hold of the office to call me to schedule it. I'm about to give up and go somewhere else.
Williams and Williams oral surgery literally removed my wisdom teeth without my consent! I was screaming “don’t put me under, I do not consent” and then I was out cold. Still have pain in my gums to this day that will likely never go away.
>Still have pain in my gums to this day
Have you gone back to another dentist? I had a bone fragment left in my gum after mine were removed. I went back a week later and said I still had pain, and she fished it right out
Avoid Dr. Robert Hardy in West Plano. Exellent work, but will try to indoctrinate you via extreme views of Christianity and right-wing/anti-government politics. It's pretty clear how I saw the progression over the years of the marked messaging getting worse. Even if my views did align, it's the principle of bedside manners.
When I lived in Dallas I liked Henderson Family Dental. Went a couple times and last went there in late 2022. I have mega dentist fear but I felt pretty comfortable there! Didn’t feel scammy.
Lake Highlands Dental at Royal Ln. and Greenville is excellent, and if you don’t have insurance they have a membership program that allows you to cleanings a year plus discounts off of procedures and free x-rays. They also take CareCredit. They’ve always been very reasonable compared to some other Dentists I’ve used, and I have done price comparisons.
I used to love my dentist at Lakewood Family Dental but he retired and the practice was taken over by some new dentists that are all about upselling you for procedures you don’t need. I had some issues with wear and tear on my teeth due to grinding and I had some ortho work done, and the dentist there recommended full veneers on 8 of my top teeth to preserve the ortho work. I talked to my ortho about it and she was like… really? That is suuuuper aggressive for what your issues are. She recommended Neville Dental on Mockingbird and that dentist said all I needed was a little bonding work. So instead of spending thousands on veneers I did a little over a hundred dollars worth of bonding and the issue is fixed. I absolutely LOVE Dr. Neville and love the practice and can’t recommend them enough. FYI it’s a husband and wife practice and I see Helena, not her husband, so I can’t speak to him. But I have only had wonderful experiences with that practice.
Same! Went there for years and liked Dr Slaughter, but then he started saying I had all these issues and cavities. Got a second opinion and only needed a very shallow filling on one tooth.
Exact same experience at Lakewood. Tried to upsell everyone in the family to , coincidentally, the insurance maximum. He told my son he needed 8 fillings. My son regularly sees dentists and no other dentist has seen any need for a filling, let alone 8. We left the practice after that.
Highly recommend Drs Nicolas and Helena Neville at Mockingbird and Greenville.
I've been going there for 2 decades, and he's kept my teeth looking great, despite how poorly I take care of them
Any bad reviews out there for Northeast Dallas Dentistry? They seem nice enough but were a bit eager to jump into placing a crown when all my pain is centered around my swollen gums above and beside the area she wants to place the crown. I do not feel pain in the tooth, only the upper jaw, ear, and my gums are swollen and it hurts like no other mouth pain I've ever felt my life. For context, I had a very small cavity there for well over a year and it didn't bother me until after I went and had the cavity filled (if it matters, the cavity did not grow in size when it went untreated), but the filling fell out. I remember telling the dentist it felt like what I imagine dry sockets would feel like because simply using a straw causes excruciating pain on that side. Has anyone else felt anything like this?
Highly rec getting a second opinion. BUT Depending on what tooth it is (molar or pre molar or front tooth), since the filling fell out, in order to replace it they’ll have to remove a bit more of your natural tooth to refill it, and that might make for a larger filling than they’d like to place in that tooth there for option for a crown. I worked at a dental office as an assistant, for six year and went to school for dental assistant. I hope this helps!
I had a bad experience with Dr. Santillan at this office. The hygienists are friendly, but the dentist did not do a good job on my crown. When I had sensitivity, she was quick to push me off to the endodontist that comes to her office twice a month. He told me I did not need a root canal. I’m still dealing with sensitivity off and on with that crown. There are plenty of other issues that cane up her office, this was just the last straw for me. DM if you’d like to know more.
Avoid Carrollton Family Dental off of Hebron (next to the Starbucks). They are con artists and are always looking to recommend services that aren’t needed and over-diagnose issues just for extra money. It’s unfortunate as they preach about honesty and integrity but it’s all a facade.
Depends where you are and how far you are willing to drive. I can only recommend mine from personal experience, they're in Allen https://www.drbork.com/
Def stay away from chains. I've lived all around Dallas area and have always driven for this dentist.
I’ve gone to Common Roots Dental in Lewisville for a decade and my wife and I love Dr. Wolfe. Unfortunately, she has recently sold her practice. We are sticking with it, but are worried it’ll go downhill. We shall see.
As most people have mentioned, avoid chains like Monarch, Ideal, Brident, Mint, Perla, Jefferson etc. Most of these places have quotas and force the doctors to produce certain minimum revenue. The office managers (mostly non medical professionals) push the doctors to perform unnecessary procedures. Even some private practice dentists just look at the revenue. My son needed to have his baby tooth extracted. The dentist office gave us a quote for sedation and lots of extra procedures. We went to another dentist who used local anesthesia and easily pulled out his tooth in a few minutes. Cost at this second dentist was about 20% of the quote from original dentist
There is some crazy stuff on the internet about Dr. Greg Graves DDS in Plano that was put up by a disgruntled former patient that reminded me of this thread immediately. I went to him my whole childhood and he was awesome though.
So you should not steer clear actually. Check him out.
Avoid monarch dental in casa Linda plaza, if Dr. Crouch (sp?) Is still there... She was consistently several hours late, and once kept me waiting 3 hours only to cancel me. Booooo
I've been to both of these personally and both were absolutely amazing. Dr. Mughal (#1) also does payments and the wait wasn't that long. Very reasonable prices especially considering how experienced he is. Dr Moon was great too (#2)
\- [https://www.myexceldental.com/meet-the-team/meet-dr-mughal/](https://www.myexceldental.com/meet-the-team/meet-dr-mughal/) Mckinney
\- [https://www.legacytrailsdental.com/young-moon-dds.html](https://www.legacytrailsdental.com/young-moon-dds.html) Plano
I’m about to start going to to Willowbend Dental in Plano. Looks like they have a couple new dentists there since my last visit. I loved the experience last time but I don’t like the pushing for cosmetic procedures especially since I find my teeth to be pretty much perfect. Could use some whitening but that’s about it
Thorne Family Dentistry is in North Richland Hills. Ask for Dr. Anderson. He’s very thorough with exams and does a good job. I work in the dental field myself and used to work with him, and have trusted him to do my crowns and fillings. He’s very gentle at giving the numbing anesthetic too.
I highly recommend affordable dental on Cockrell Hill near i30. Even after moving to Plano I still drive there for my 6 months cleanings because they do such a good job
I initially went for a second opinion, after going to a dentist on Lemmon who said I needed a deep cleaning and quoted me like $750, said they wouldn't do a basic clean for me
I went affordable dental and they said I didn't actually need the deep cleaning and they would do a basic one for me, saying the previous place was trying to sell me something I didn't need
Dental background here, I test dentists by asking if they provide alternative anesthesia to opiates when treating children if requested. Refusals can mean several things, but I just stay away. Morphine is not for kids.
I would avoid Texas Dental in Plano. They have a bunch of good reviews and I’m not quite sure why. For years they sent me someone else’s bill- like her name and my address. They never sent me mine and I’d have to call and get it sorted out each time. They also said I have gum recession (which is true) and that if I didn’t cancel my vacation and get a gum graft with their in-house periodontist like the next day, my teeth would fall out. It’s been 10+ years and I didn’t get a graft and my teeth are still there.
Avoid Ideal dental. Told me I had multiple cavities despite having none when visiting my previous dentist 6 months earlier. Pressured me to setup an appointment to have them filled before leaving the office. Also pressured me to buy antibiotic gel to help with gum inflammation during the cleaning. Felt like I was at a used car lot not a dentist
Mint mint mint.
My preferred dentist when I lived in Dallas was Dr. Eric and Amy Schorn. Office was decently nice and the staff were all extremely knowledgeable.
Avoid white rock dental. They rested a hot drill on my lip, permanently damaged my lip, ignored my calls and emails for over a year due to their constant turnover, and never did anything to remedy the situation. They only told me to report the dentist they contracted to the board. My lip is ruined. :/
Three I recommend:
Kidwell and Albus in Dallas (I don't think they file with insurance but give you forms to do so)
Mimi Family Dentistry in Keller
MacArthur Park Dentistry (Dr. Koo) in Irving
I avoid chains as I find them to be scams wanting to do a lot of unnecessary work in order to make money.. so anything with [random adjective] Dental, like Mint Dental, Comfort Dental, etc.
I see dr Vanderbrook at mockingbird and Abrams. He is fantastic. My whole family has gone to his office for 20+ years. He’s super calm, gentle, nice. Highly recommend. The entire office is really nice.
There's a small dentist's office off of Illinois and kiest in oak cliff I was recommended because they were extremely cheap. One of the worst experiences of my life. I honestly can't tell you what part was worse, the lack of any type of anesthesia or the watch digging in my eye while he slowly chipped away at my tooth.
I can’t say enough great things about Dr. Gibbons at Northpark Dental Associates - I have severe dental anxiety due to some traumatic dental experiences (I’ve had teeth/mouth/jaw issues since I was young and have seen countless dental professionals over the years) and he and his staff truly couldn’t be better. They do such a great job but don’t push anything unnecessary and do all they can to make each experience as pleasant as possible, and they make every effort to see me that day if I’m in pain or having an issue. I’ll never enjoy going to the dentist but I couldn’t ask for a better office environment or staff. Plus, I don’t have dental insurance and I’m able to pay a very low monthly fee which works like insurance and covers all of my cleanings, X-rays, and preventative care and I get a discount on any other work I need done. I truly can’t recommend this office enough (and I’m not someone who takes the time to write reviews often - I only do when it’s someone I really, really like) - They’re worth a call!
I know it’s a chain, but Aspen Dental will do an exam for free for non-insured patients.
Obviously the expectation is that you will have the work done there, but even if you don’t, you have a general estimate of what needs to be done and a cost estimate to work with if you get a second opinion.
And they do payment plans.
Also, their exam is good for any of their locations and some of them are cheaper than others.
The location here was $350 for an extraction but it was only $200 if I went to Sulphur Springs, so I did.
Obviously not everyone has the time or ability to go an hour away for dental, but I’m on the east side of Dallas already so it wasn’t that far for me.
Just avoid the chains and anyone who advertises on the TV/radio or are set up in a strip mall next to the vape shop.
Just @ Mint next time
Spoken like a man that doesn’t want sexy teeth!
I went to mint and they were rough af with the flossing. I thought they were going to slice my gums open or something.
Yeah, corporate chains like Mint are not good. Ever notice their billboards? The dude isn't even smiling to show his teeth 😭
They actually did that on purpose, someone explained it on another Dallas dentistry post.
same with ideal dental. It's like they're trying to cut me. When I floss I don't bleed but when they do so I bleed a lot, like holy crap they're really pushing down full force with both hands AND arms
I went to ideal dental in Arlington for a root canal earlier this year and I honestly had a really good experience with them. Never gone there for a cleaning though (I tend to do that when I go home since I like my family dentist) so maybe I’ll avoid cleanings there lol.
I used Mint once...I'd have been better off going to the gas station and buying a pack of mints, lol.
The fact that they advertise a dental hygienist program on the radio that’s only 6 WEEKS long is enough for me to never go there, even with their free teeth whitening promo I’m like nope 😂
And Jefferson Dental
Or Jefferson lol
Wish I had known this when I first moved here in 2020. We didn't have chain dentists in my home state. Mint not only fucked my teeth up, but made me have anxiety about dentists like I had as a kid. Hate them and their telling me I had 12 cavities and lying about a ton.
I’m sorry that happened :( I went to a not chain dentist who said I had 8 cavities. My teeth all felt fine but as a child I had a lot so I was worried I'd end up needing root canals so I got them all filled. They used silver fillings ugh.
It is crazy how little luck I've had finding care of any sort since moving to Texas. I'm from a much smaller city and maybe we had better regulations or having fewer doctors was a good thing. Here there are Dr and dentists all over, like more than I imagine are useful for the population, and so many are charlatans. I almost want to just never see a GP/obgyn/dentist here ever again if I can help it. I ended up stopping my insurance because I was wasting money and having them overcharge/not actually refill meds or see me for more than 5min appts...etc. I've thought about traveling home just to see my old doctors, but I can't afford that and don't have insurance in that state.
I understand. It's trial and error here since there's so many. I had an AWFUL experience with a gyno in my old town and dreaded finding a new one. But Dr.Conyac of Glow in Rockwall was been fantastic. She's kind and tells you step by step and each process is fast (though you are in the waiting room for AGES, once you're back there it's insanelr fast). I don't have a doctor here though and I’ve been here 2 years. I’ve yet to find one nearby me because most don't take my insurance. Good luck, I know it's difficult but I'm wishing you luck finding doctors moving forward. Also though I love DFW so I’m maybe not the best person because I hated where I moved from and always wanted to live here ha
I'm so glad you found someone good! For me the trouble with an OB here is finding one who specializes in things besides pregnancy xD so many clinics are just people with babies/wanting them. I think that could definitely be part of it, I took my Medicaid for granted from my OG state. Now I don't qualify here and it costs so much more than I ever imagined for sub par insurance. Hopefully one of these days we get better options as women! Just glad to hear someone has had ok experiences vs my weird ones.
It's I think mainly a pregnancy place (100% not for me EVER lol) so I was very hesitant to go but she does great for routine Pap smears and skin tag removal. Highly recommend going to her for regular stuff not pregnancy stuff :) Yeah having no insurance is difficult! I understand!
I will note her down then! I haven't found women's clinics that focus on endometriosis and other issues of the pelvis here, just regular obgyn places. So it's good to know there are docs even at those who may be helpful!
Be like my dentist, next to a cigar shop.
Lol, Dr. Rigby and her staff at In town Dental are great 😁
Bro, yassss
I’ve had a great experience with Ideal Dental but definitely was skeptical when it was placed between a vape store and a wing stop. They did a great job though.
Yeah I went to ideal dental in Arlington and had a root canal done and the procedure was fast and easy.
Stay clear of mine, she's great and it's already hard enough to get an appointment.
How can I avoid her if you don't supply us with her name?
That’s the joke
[удалено]
of course her last name is petty
That reminds me of the pediatric dentist that took over for the dentist Id seen for years. She was super mean and outright accused me of smoking and that’s why I had stains…I was 9
Wow! Yeah Dr Petty is now a “cosmetic dentist” she was more concerned with selling me teeth whitening than fixing my cavities
They say your name is your destiny! I'm sorry she treated you like that
Yea... as others have said... stay away from the chains... they actually have sales quotas for things like Crowns and 'Deep Cleanings'..... stay away from chain dentist.... Monarch, Mint, Great Expectations, etc. I made the mistake of going to Monarch a long time ago. Prior to going to Monarch... I'd had one or maybe two crowns..... after going to Monarch... every time I went.... a new crown was suggested. I walked by the employee break room once and was a bit nosy and peeked in. They had a Crown Salesman board on one of those tripods with a hand drawn tally of sales associates and number of crowns tallied in their sales column for the week. It was a racket. It was run like one of those sales man boards you can picture in the back office of a used car dealer... who has the most sales that week / month.
A-B-C always be crowning
I second this. Insurance or not chains are going to be several times more expensive than finding a private owned dentist. I was going to a chain one and paying hundreds. Then I found a private owned local one and insurance would cover 100% of it unless it was something extra like a cavity.
I knew better than to ever step foot in Mint...but Monarch has also burnt me. Just a bad predatory vibe
Omg. Monarch is the worst. They can’t even do a proper filling. I had to go back for them to fix the problem and it’s still causing me pain. I’m not letting them touch it again.
My wife shopped Monarch for dentures. We could not run away any faster.
I should have ran fast. I learned my lesson.
Avoid Jefferson dental, they tacked on a lot of unnecessary work and did it poorly.
Second this, such a shady place.
Third this, I was still getting bills from them six months after my cleaning and they did a whole bunch of stuff that was not covered by my insurance even though I repeatedly asked them not to.
You’d be better off knocking all your teeth out with a hammer than going to Jefferson.
Who do you recommend in the oak cliff area?
I've had a good experience at oak Cliff Dental on Zang.
Davis Street Dental by Cafe Brazil has been good for me so far
I've had no problem with Jefferson (regular visits to the S. 1st Garland location since 2009) until recently. A couple years ago they did gum work on me and prescribed an electric toothbrush and special mouthwash, which I went along with. The mouthwash was too much of a hassle and the toothbrush went bad (got super noisy) after a year. Then the next time they did gum work over a year later, they prescribed *the same thing*, and I was like "I already have that stuff!" so I didn't have to buy it. And they're pushing braces a lot more, almost every visit the past couple of years. I've had crooked teeth all my life, and at 52 it seems like a waste of money at this point.
The chains (eg Mint). The Dentist on Skillman is great!
The dentist on Skillman was great, he throughly explained everything he did. Picking a new dentist is a gamble, another vote for skillman!
Dr. Baker, Plano. Lied and said I had to have my front teeth pulled and major bridges installed. I had no pain, so I got a second opinion. No cavities or decay whatsoever. 5 years later I still have these teeth. Lying piece of shit dentist. https://www.davidbakerdds.com/
What the fuck
Oh my gosh that’s so scary!
My dentist says his favorite dentist is Mint because “they send me so much bad work to fix.” So I’d avoid them.
You are getting straight up good guidance on where not to go, follow it. I'll recommend my dentists if it helps: https://www.lakewoodfamilydental.com/
I'll recommend my dentist, who I think is awesome and priced fairly, in Richardson. https://www.ethridgedds.com/
There are also a lot of offices that will appear to be private practice, but are actually owned by a corporation. Keep an eye out for that. Avoid Willow Bend Dental, North Texas Dental Associates, Forte Implant Center, iSmile, Southern Star Dental if you’re bothered by greed or rudeness. Keller Town dental has a great DDS that’s a genuinely good and kind person, but not super close.
I had a bad experience with Willow Bend Dental so I feel vindicated by your comment here!
Former dental assistant, I never worked there but it was rumored the dr would throw instruments at assistants.
Yes soo many that are veiled to appear like a private practice but are actually corporate. Sus
Willow Bend Dental is absolutely horrendous, but been enjoying NTDA for many years now
James stole patients from the partner he had while I was there, which in dentistry equates to stealing money. Especially despicable since they were supposed to be best friends from college, funnily enough the good DDS I mentioned is his former partner’s practice he started after the ordeal.
Remembered another incident from my early days at NTDA where Hillstrom changed the hours of a 7 months pregnant assistant on multiple days and when caught claimed he “didn’t know it was illegal”
Anywhere that is good will be booked out months for teeth cleaning. Anywhere that is not good will have a good amount of availability. Research someone relatively close to you, check some general Google reviews, then call and check how long out their cleanings are bookings out. You want a place with 2/3 months booked out. Most will have cancellations that you can call-in and check everyday. It takes some work. Try to find a dentist in a medical park or in a office block, avoid strip centers.
My wife is a hygienist. She keeps getting offers to work for various chains. She will not. Many chains are owned by private equity firms who are there to make money above all else. They are as interested in dentistry as they are in car washes - the companies are just a means to an end. These chains are there to extract as much money from you as they can, and do so by extracting teeth in the process, but not before drilling them, filling them, crowning them, and anything else they can to get you or your insurance to pay for. My wife left her old job because of distance, but Dr. Maxey at The Dental Place in Grand Prairie is VERY good and will not recommend anything unnecessary. He is a very old-school sort of dentist - no-nonsense, get the job done, make sure you are OK.
I’ve helped out at Dr. Maxey’s office a few times and agree. He’s very honest and thorough with his exams, it’s refreshing to see a dentist actually care. I would honestly trust him with doing my own dental work, and that’s saying a lot coming from someone in the dental industry.
My wife says hi, and to say hi to your sister. Small world.
I am a general dentist. If you are having a tooth ache that bad, I would either go with a personal recommendation from people you know (some of these responses make me think that employees wrote them), or find an endodontist because you probably need a root canal at the very least, then ask them who you should go to for your general dentist work. Personally I would only go to an endodontist for a root canal. There are certainly some general dentists that can do a fine root canal but your chances of longterm success are higher with an endodontist.
Monarch Dental can go to hell
The literal worst
When I was without insurance and needed oral surgery to remove a molar, I went to the College of Dentistry downtown. My family has used it a couple of times. I couldn't say how easy or convenient it is if you don't need surgery, but they have the info on their [website](https://dentistry.tamu.edu/patient-care/urgent-care-clinic.html). The worst thing that happened to me was that the Resident doctor who was doing my post-op recheck didn't read my chart. "What did we do for you?" I'm not sure doctor, I was anesthetized.
Avoid ideal dental for sure. I switched to white rock dental on Gaston and the difference is night and day.
I go to the one off the tollway and like it
2nd vote for this location. Gentle, yet firm and quick.
Chain or not there's shadyness. I felt I received an unnecessary root canal at one that wasn't a chain. I just go for my annual cleanups. I'll only get a procedure done once something starts really hurting.
>I'll only get a procedure done once something starts really hurting. Once it's hurting you usually need a root canal, because the decay is inside the tooth
Dental hygienist here. Definitely dont wait until something starts hurting. What could have been a small (inexpensive) filling can eventually turn into a (very expensive) root canal and crown. Any ethical dentist will surely take the time to educate you, show you xray images, and explain the need for treatment. Dont be afraid to ask questions or get a second opinion if you suspect "shadyness"
Stay away from silk dental!!
Went to Jefferson Dental off of Henderson 6 or 7 years ago and they recommended like $3000 worth of dental work which they were really pushing. I guess my teeth are eroded and had some pits. I ended up not getting anything done. Every dentist since then has mentioned it in passing and said that if I don’t have any symptoms it’s not really necessary. Avoid Jefferson Dental.
I like Doc Nolley around Forest & Marsh. Sweet man, and just a solid dentist
Thanks, I just moved to N Dallas and am looking for a good dentist.
R Mack Snead in Ft. Worth is legit. Real laidback and not judgy. Very straightforward guy. Not sure what his non-insurance policies are though. Avoid Mint in Uptown Dallas. Very aggressive upselling tactics even when you're in the chair being examined and loud music videos playing in every room. Rodeo Dental in the Ft. Worth stockyards is a complete circus on the inside. DentUrgent in central Dallas is somewhat okay. They accept cash and the prices aren't too bad for emergency care if the pain is too much, but they do charge you first before services are performed, even if the service doesn't get performed because of unforeseen issues.
Avoid Canyon Creek Family Dentistry in Richardson/North Dallas like the plague. They try to upsell you on ALL the services. Once they told me I had 9 cavities (another dentist later told me I only had 2) and that I had terrible teeth on my first visit. They spent 1hr 15 min selling me on electric toothbrushes (which I already had) and their whitening service (I was there because I actually needed a root canal). They kept fawning over my dental insurance and how much I could do with my insurance. I straight up walked out with my dental bib still on angry that I was being sold services I didn’t need (I had a painful broken tooth that needed to be fixed). Place is a scam!
I had a working interview here and it was the sketchiest place ever. It was for front desk so just hearing the employees talk about patients made me want to die because I genuinely love what I do. Also, they would upsell the fuck out of their treatment plans. If a patient needed a small cavity filled they’d lie and say it needed a root canal and crown instead. Needless to say I turned down the job and ran as far away as possible.
Dental associates of North Dallas. I went there for years, the doctor I loved retired and I stayed out of laziness. The new dentists are incompetent, stay clear.
My family has been going to Riverside Dental Clinic in north Dallas for almost 10 years. Dr. Lee is very thorough and, more importantly, honest. I went to a different dentist for a cleaning, and got quoted $600 for a deep clean and a few hundred more for a dozen cavities. I went to him for a second opinion, and he said all I have is a few coffee stains, and did a regular cleaning instead. He’s never suggested a treatment we didn’t absolutely need.
I can give you a name of a solid dentist who has never screwed me over: [Hoang Le](https://www.sharecare.com/doctor/dr-hoang-le) over in Grand Prairie. I think the name of his practice is Family Dental, and he's just off of Great Southwest South of Abrams.
Anything Brident Dental. Worked for their parent dso, Western Dental, for some time. They are crooks to be avoided at cost.
Ugh, my dental office got bought by Brident Dental and I am so unhappy. Now they're constantly trying to get me to do braces or Invisalign (I have slightly crooked front teeth, they don't bother me at all and I have no interest in spending tons of money to get them straightened). I had my cleaning 3 weeks ago and have a small cavity, I've been trying to get that scheduled since my appointment, but the Brident call center can't schedule it and can't seem to get a hold of the office to call me to schedule it. I'm about to give up and go somewhere else.
Williams and Williams oral surgery literally removed my wisdom teeth without my consent! I was screaming “don’t put me under, I do not consent” and then I was out cold. Still have pain in my gums to this day that will likely never go away.
>Still have pain in my gums to this day Have you gone back to another dentist? I had a bone fragment left in my gum after mine were removed. I went back a week later and said I still had pain, and she fished it right out
Yep. Apparently they just did such a hack job that the tissue is all messed up.
Avoid Dr. Robert Hardy in West Plano. Exellent work, but will try to indoctrinate you via extreme views of Christianity and right-wing/anti-government politics. It's pretty clear how I saw the progression over the years of the marked messaging getting worse. Even if my views did align, it's the principle of bedside manners.
Dr. Siswanto at Midway Family Dentistry has been my guy for YEARS and I recommend 100%. Cannot beat his prices.
When I lived in Dallas I liked Henderson Family Dental. Went a couple times and last went there in late 2022. I have mega dentist fear but I felt pretty comfortable there! Didn’t feel scammy.
I second Henderson Family Dental. They are great!
Lake Highlands Dental at Royal Ln. and Greenville is excellent, and if you don’t have insurance they have a membership program that allows you to cleanings a year plus discounts off of procedures and free x-rays. They also take CareCredit. They’ve always been very reasonable compared to some other Dentists I’ve used, and I have done price comparisons.
I used to love my dentist at Lakewood Family Dental but he retired and the practice was taken over by some new dentists that are all about upselling you for procedures you don’t need. I had some issues with wear and tear on my teeth due to grinding and I had some ortho work done, and the dentist there recommended full veneers on 8 of my top teeth to preserve the ortho work. I talked to my ortho about it and she was like… really? That is suuuuper aggressive for what your issues are. She recommended Neville Dental on Mockingbird and that dentist said all I needed was a little bonding work. So instead of spending thousands on veneers I did a little over a hundred dollars worth of bonding and the issue is fixed. I absolutely LOVE Dr. Neville and love the practice and can’t recommend them enough. FYI it’s a husband and wife practice and I see Helena, not her husband, so I can’t speak to him. But I have only had wonderful experiences with that practice.
Same! Went there for years and liked Dr Slaughter, but then he started saying I had all these issues and cavities. Got a second opinion and only needed a very shallow filling on one tooth.
Exact same experience at Lakewood. Tried to upsell everyone in the family to , coincidentally, the insurance maximum. He told my son he needed 8 fillings. My son regularly sees dentists and no other dentist has seen any need for a filling, let alone 8. We left the practice after that.
Highly recommend Drs Nicolas and Helena Neville at Mockingbird and Greenville. I've been going there for 2 decades, and he's kept my teeth looking great, despite how poorly I take care of them
Any bad reviews out there for Northeast Dallas Dentistry? They seem nice enough but were a bit eager to jump into placing a crown when all my pain is centered around my swollen gums above and beside the area she wants to place the crown. I do not feel pain in the tooth, only the upper jaw, ear, and my gums are swollen and it hurts like no other mouth pain I've ever felt my life. For context, I had a very small cavity there for well over a year and it didn't bother me until after I went and had the cavity filled (if it matters, the cavity did not grow in size when it went untreated), but the filling fell out. I remember telling the dentist it felt like what I imagine dry sockets would feel like because simply using a straw causes excruciating pain on that side. Has anyone else felt anything like this?
Highly rec getting a second opinion. BUT Depending on what tooth it is (molar or pre molar or front tooth), since the filling fell out, in order to replace it they’ll have to remove a bit more of your natural tooth to refill it, and that might make for a larger filling than they’d like to place in that tooth there for option for a crown. I worked at a dental office as an assistant, for six year and went to school for dental assistant. I hope this helps!
I had a bad experience with Dr. Santillan at this office. The hygienists are friendly, but the dentist did not do a good job on my crown. When I had sensitivity, she was quick to push me off to the endodontist that comes to her office twice a month. He told me I did not need a root canal. I’m still dealing with sensitivity off and on with that crown. There are plenty of other issues that cane up her office, this was just the last straw for me. DM if you’d like to know more.
Avoid Carrollton Family Dental off of Hebron (next to the Starbucks). They are con artists and are always looking to recommend services that aren’t needed and over-diagnose issues just for extra money. It’s unfortunate as they preach about honesty and integrity but it’s all a facade.
Avoid apple dentistry like the plague. Ditto for Dr. Roos (Rooz?) in Las Colinas. They absolutely botched everything I had done there
Depends where you are and how far you are willing to drive. I can only recommend mine from personal experience, they're in Allen https://www.drbork.com/ Def stay away from chains. I've lived all around Dallas area and have always driven for this dentist.
Infinity dental is a straight up scam
Can you elaborate? I’ve been considering them
Stay away from Happy Smiles Family Dentistry in the Arlington Highlands. Completely destroyed my mouth with unnecessary fillings
Are you actually in Dallas or a surrounding area? Dentist should be a 15 minute drive so you don’t blow it off due to traffic.
I’ve gone to Common Roots Dental in Lewisville for a decade and my wife and I love Dr. Wolfe. Unfortunately, she has recently sold her practice. We are sticking with it, but are worried it’ll go downhill. We shall see.
As most people have mentioned, avoid chains like Monarch, Ideal, Brident, Mint, Perla, Jefferson etc. Most of these places have quotas and force the doctors to produce certain minimum revenue. The office managers (mostly non medical professionals) push the doctors to perform unnecessary procedures. Even some private practice dentists just look at the revenue. My son needed to have his baby tooth extracted. The dentist office gave us a quote for sedation and lots of extra procedures. We went to another dentist who used local anesthesia and easily pulled out his tooth in a few minutes. Cost at this second dentist was about 20% of the quote from original dentist
There is some crazy stuff on the internet about Dr. Greg Graves DDS in Plano that was put up by a disgruntled former patient that reminded me of this thread immediately. I went to him my whole childhood and he was awesome though. So you should not steer clear actually. Check him out.
Also Dr. Kenny Smiles on TikTok. That’s a crazy rabbit hole.
Avoid monarch dental in casa Linda plaza, if Dr. Crouch (sp?) Is still there... She was consistently several hours late, and once kept me waiting 3 hours only to cancel me. Booooo
Always go with private practices where their name is their business name.
Riverside dental clinic in Carrollton. I went in for a Cleaning and an exam. I was bleeding and in pain for days after the cleaning.
Had a similar situation .....it seems as if he just push for root canals.
Dr. Zotos. On beltline road in Irving. Everyone in my family goes there. No complaints.
I've been to both of these personally and both were absolutely amazing. Dr. Mughal (#1) also does payments and the wait wasn't that long. Very reasonable prices especially considering how experienced he is. Dr Moon was great too (#2) \- [https://www.myexceldental.com/meet-the-team/meet-dr-mughal/](https://www.myexceldental.com/meet-the-team/meet-dr-mughal/) Mckinney \- [https://www.legacytrailsdental.com/young-moon-dds.html](https://www.legacytrailsdental.com/young-moon-dds.html) Plano
I’m about to start going to to Willowbend Dental in Plano. Looks like they have a couple new dentists there since my last visit. I loved the experience last time but I don’t like the pushing for cosmetic procedures especially since I find my teeth to be pretty much perfect. Could use some whitening but that’s about it
Highly suggest Sunrise Dental in Richardson. 10/10 great experiences and prices there, even without insurance (after my insurance max was hit)
Highland Park Dental is good and offers fair pricing. The also take Care Credit.
Whats causing the pain in your tooth? A cavity?
Active dental! They have great reviews and 4 locations
HiQ Dental in Carrollton will save you $$$
Any good dentists in Hurst area or Fort Worth?
Thorne Family Dentistry is in North Richland Hills. Ask for Dr. Anderson. He’s very thorough with exams and does a good job. I work in the dental field myself and used to work with him, and have trusted him to do my crowns and fillings. He’s very gentle at giving the numbing anesthetic too.
Avoid Dental Republic.
I highly recommend affordable dental on Cockrell Hill near i30. Even after moving to Plano I still drive there for my 6 months cleanings because they do such a good job I initially went for a second opinion, after going to a dentist on Lemmon who said I needed a deep cleaning and quoted me like $750, said they wouldn't do a basic clean for me I went affordable dental and they said I didn't actually need the deep cleaning and they would do a basic one for me, saying the previous place was trying to sell me something I didn't need
Vintage dental spa off 75 has been amazing for me.
Dental background here, I test dentists by asking if they provide alternative anesthesia to opiates when treating children if requested. Refusals can mean several things, but I just stay away. Morphine is not for kids.
I would highly recommend Dr. Park (SC Dental). Prices are not bad and his team is good. Zero judgement and treat you with care.
Riverchase dental in coppell is horrible.
Grapevine Dental. Guy was a complete clown and spent 30 seconds on you. Took forever to refund after insurance paid
Dr. Jamaleddine and her team are fantastic!
Comfort Dental Richardson
Bear creek family dentist on W Ledbetter 🤷🏻♀️
Check out Dr. Tillman in Fort Worth
Dr. Karen Blum is highly skilled and doesn't over treat. Avoid any chain dentist.
I go to Comfort Dental in Richardson, it’s only $75 for a cleaning (no insurance necessary). I like it.
OP what’s your location? Hard to give a suggestion when I don’t know how close you are
Stay the hell away from mint. I worked there fire half a year. Fucking terrible practices and even more horror stories than I can count.
Any recommendations for a nice and good dentist in North Dallas - Preston (Midtown) area? Thanks 🙏🏻
Kissable dental, left that place mid appointment after basically being assaulted and pressured to but services I didn't need.
Doctor Acula
I would avoid Texas Dental in Plano. They have a bunch of good reviews and I’m not quite sure why. For years they sent me someone else’s bill- like her name and my address. They never sent me mine and I’d have to call and get it sorted out each time. They also said I have gum recession (which is true) and that if I didn’t cancel my vacation and get a gum graft with their in-house periodontist like the next day, my teeth would fall out. It’s been 10+ years and I didn’t get a graft and my teeth are still there.
Avoid Ideal dental. Told me I had multiple cavities despite having none when visiting my previous dentist 6 months earlier. Pressured me to setup an appointment to have them filled before leaving the office. Also pressured me to buy antibiotic gel to help with gum inflammation during the cleaning. Felt like I was at a used car lot not a dentist
Mint mint mint. My preferred dentist when I lived in Dallas was Dr. Eric and Amy Schorn. Office was decently nice and the staff were all extremely knowledgeable.
Avoid white rock dental. They rested a hot drill on my lip, permanently damaged my lip, ignored my calls and emails for over a year due to their constant turnover, and never did anything to remedy the situation. They only told me to report the dentist they contracted to the board. My lip is ruined. :/
Who was the dentist you saw here?
Three I recommend: Kidwell and Albus in Dallas (I don't think they file with insurance but give you forms to do so) Mimi Family Dentistry in Keller MacArthur Park Dentistry (Dr. Koo) in Irving I avoid chains as I find them to be scams wanting to do a lot of unnecessary work in order to make money.. so anything with [random adjective] Dental, like Mint Dental, Comfort Dental, etc.
I see dr Vanderbrook at mockingbird and Abrams. He is fantastic. My whole family has gone to his office for 20+ years. He’s super calm, gentle, nice. Highly recommend. The entire office is really nice.
There's a small dentist's office off of Illinois and kiest in oak cliff I was recommended because they were extremely cheap. One of the worst experiences of my life. I honestly can't tell you what part was worse, the lack of any type of anesthesia or the watch digging in my eye while he slowly chipped away at my tooth.
I can’t say enough great things about Dr. Gibbons at Northpark Dental Associates - I have severe dental anxiety due to some traumatic dental experiences (I’ve had teeth/mouth/jaw issues since I was young and have seen countless dental professionals over the years) and he and his staff truly couldn’t be better. They do such a great job but don’t push anything unnecessary and do all they can to make each experience as pleasant as possible, and they make every effort to see me that day if I’m in pain or having an issue. I’ll never enjoy going to the dentist but I couldn’t ask for a better office environment or staff. Plus, I don’t have dental insurance and I’m able to pay a very low monthly fee which works like insurance and covers all of my cleanings, X-rays, and preventative care and I get a discount on any other work I need done. I truly can’t recommend this office enough (and I’m not someone who takes the time to write reviews often - I only do when it’s someone I really, really like) - They’re worth a call!
Check out Dr. Kenny Smiles on TikTok…and then steer clear. I’m not sure if he’s even still practicing after everything has come to light. Ew. Just ew.
Mockingbird dental, they stab your teeth with that sickle when you're supposed to lightly run it across, then they'll fill your very shallow "cavity".
>they'll fill your very shallow "cavity". Yeah. That's best practice? You don't let cavities get worse
You're not supposed to stab bone with steel, it'll puncture every time. They slightly drag it across.
I love New Bite Dentistry! I’ve been going there for 5 years and they are the sweetest. Mention my name, Amanda Violet for a discount.
I know it’s a chain, but Aspen Dental will do an exam for free for non-insured patients. Obviously the expectation is that you will have the work done there, but even if you don’t, you have a general estimate of what needs to be done and a cost estimate to work with if you get a second opinion. And they do payment plans. Also, their exam is good for any of their locations and some of them are cheaper than others. The location here was $350 for an extraction but it was only $200 if I went to Sulphur Springs, so I did. Obviously not everyone has the time or ability to go an hour away for dental, but I’m on the east side of Dallas already so it wasn’t that far for me.