Excel Dental and Implant Center

Very pleased with Excel Dental & Implant Center who seem to have assembled a great team of professionals who seem to be offering a wholesome experience with majority if not all dental services, all being provided under one roof with extreme competence. Everyone from the front desk staff to Dr. Lapsi and Dr. Boen seem to be very professional, knowledgeable and helpful. The office is lovely and well designed and definitely offers a lot of breathing space and does not seem like one of those dark cubby holes.
Positive’s : — The front desk staff, Shar and Dee have always answered any questions that I have had, right from my much needed dental procedures to what my insurance would and would not cover. I like the fact that they specialize in different areas from extractions to crowns to implants to Orthodontics so you can save yourself the trouble from going to 10 different offices and having to deal with 10 different doctor’s. Dr. Lapsi definitely has the experience and the ability to get the job done right almost to the point of perfectionism. My appointments mostly are punctual which demonstrates respect for my time. I wasn’t pressured into accepting any treatment plan, rather Dr. Lapsi has always worked with me to prioritize the work that needed to be done around my busy schedule. I have always been explained as to what I need by most of the time by Dee showing me my x-​rays so I understand the necessity of doing the procedure instead of just being told that I needed it. I have always been given the opportunity to ask plenty of questions before proceeding, all answered with a smile and answers that to me demonstrates experience and competence. Not once have they not taken the time to listen to my concerns before any procedure My cleanings which were done by Dr. Boen and Bryan, have felt more thorough than at my previous dentists. They are also great at letting me know what to expect in the days following a procedure. The front desk staff are also very polite and patient with me in scheduling appointments, and helping me understand my insurance coverage and bills.
Regrets: I wish I’d come to this place sooner for my dental care and found them sooner!

I’d like to agree with every 5 star review posted here for Dr. Lapsi and Excel Dental and Implant Center. If you are looking for the absolute best and most plesant dental experience of your life, Excel Dental is
the place to go! I had a very uncomfortable gum pain and needed a cleaning ASAP. When my dentist couldn’t get me in until summer (seriously!) I decided to look for a new dentist. I turned to Unilocal and found Excel Dental and Implant Center.
I sent an e-​mail at first, asking if they took new patients and accepted my insurance. The office manager, Gladis, quickly e-​mailed me back, telling me they did and they were accepting new patients. I called and made an appointment on Tuesday, and they were able to get me in at 4 pm on Wednesday; perfect!
Sherlyn and Dee were very sweet from the moment I walked in. They made me feel very comfortable and at ease. Dr. Lapsi was very nice as well. He shook my hand and actually spent time and had a conversation with me and explained me what Dental procedures that I would need. He asked me how i heard about him and I mentioned ‘Yelp’, and he said he tries to get «good patients to recommend good patients!» Well done! My overall impression about Excel is that it is a very clean office and the staff is very thorough with everything they do! All through out they made sure I was 100% comfortable the entire appointment and also that I understood everything that was going on with my teeth & gums. They make you feel so comfortable that there were moments when I actually forgot that I was in a Dental office. Overall, very happy with this practice. I have never been so happy and pain-​free after a dentist appointment.

I had a root canal correction procedure done the day before at Laguna Hills Dental Arts. Apparently, something went terribly wrong and I was in unbearable pain, with a bad infection and swelling that made my face look contorted. I found Dr. Lapsi on Unilocal and got his mobile phone from his answering machine and called him on Saturday. He suggested he would call in Antibiotics for me and suggested that I may want to go to urgent care if the pain was unbearable, as he was not in close proximity to his office and did not have any other dentist who could cover him up. I appreciated his honesty. I did that and called him again on Sunday when I was in really bad shape with an infection and had already made a visit to the local emergency room at Saddleback Hospital Dr. Lapsi agreed to see me at 8:00 AM on Sunday morning. Seriously, who freaking does does that for anyone anymore. I tell you, he is the nicest Dentist out there whose motives are truly selfless. I ended up having the tooth extracted and the pain stopped immediately. A day after the extraction, I feel 100% better and I am pain free. His staff were so very kind to me and called me on Monday to set up my follow up appointment. Dr. LApsi was very reassuring and provided me with my options regarding tooth replacement for which I scheduled an Implant procedure. Thank you so much, Dr. Lapsi. I truly appreciate you helping me out when I was in so much pain.

I wish I met Dr. Lapsi sooner. It seems like all the reviews are correct when saying that Dr. Lapsi is highly skilled, very kind and courteous, a through professional, no-​nonsense and who is extremely fair with his pricing. He or his office is definitely not trying to upsell you like some local dentists. Frankly, whenever I have come here they have always been so busy, that I don’t think they feel the necessity too. Dr. Lapsi and his staff definitely know how to put you at ease during procedures as well as work efficiently. The cost of services at Excel Dental & Implant Center is beyond fair and he truly has very good ‘bedside manner’. I truly felt that Dr. Lapsi and his staff did an exemplary and excellent job in working with me as he has helped me truly live a happier life by drastically improving my dental health.
In an age where our health care system is so far from reality as far as true patient care is concerned, I feel that Dr. Lapsi’s approach is so sincere and a blessing. With my previous dentist I used to always wonder as to what was the truth or was it fiction in regard to my dental need. It reached a stage where I just wasn’t comfortable and I didn’t trust them anymore. I wasn’t really looking forward to trying a new dentist because I had become so conditioned that the outcome always had the same bad ending where the work to be needed always felt like it was exaggerated or simply a lie as to what work might be needed. I have had so much substandard work done in my mouth that it just got to be extremely frustrating.
I truly can say I got very lucky in finding Dr. Lapsi and his Team through Unilocal!
These are exactly the reasons why Dr. Lapsi and his team at Excel Dental including Dee and Shar are the best at what they do: —
1)Firstly, Dr. Lapsi doesn’t make you feel like you’re an inconvenience. He was truly very respectful and very sensitive to my needs. I’m so used to the drill where the hygienist does all the work and then the dentist rushes in, looks in your mouth, tells you it’s time to redo every filling, and then simply leaves as quickly as they entered. Dr. Lapsi was complete opposite to that.
2) Both the Dr and the staff take their time to thoroughly explain what is going on in your mouth. He explains what you need and what you don’t need. He doesn’t make you feel rushed.
3) I never once felt abused by my experience at Excel Dental. Dr. Lapsi doesn’t use and neither does he need to (seeming, that the office always has patient’s) use scare tactics and create problems that don’t exist.
4) Did not feel like I’m being lied to.
5) Never once felt that he or the office staff was trying to financially exploit me with up-​sell tactics.
6) He is sincere, honest and excellent in what he does. He was very helpful to my Dental needs and very sensitive to your finances.
Dr. Lapsi, thank you !

Dr. Lapsi is extremely knowledgeable and seems to be way ahead of the curve when it comes to technique and technology. In the beginning, I was a little nervous about coming to Dr. Lapsi despite the great reviews but I’m so glad I did. I heard about Excel Dental and Implant Center through one of my friend’s who has had her wisdom teeth and Veneer’s done by Dr. Lapsi. The fact that her smile looks brilliant, I decided to give Dr. Lapsi a shot for my Dental Treatment. Even though his office is a bit of drive, but for me looking at the final results of my teeth, it was all worth it!
Dr. Lapsi and his staff– Dee, Shar, Nikki, Bryan are absolutely amazing. When I went in for my first consultation with Dr. Lapsi, I was nervous but relied on the fact that my friend highly recommended him. I now know why! He was very honest, helpful and clear on what was involved in getting my wisdom teeth pulled out and my front Veneers redone. Answered any and every question I had and was very approachable. He actually made me look forward to having my teeth removed. He took the time to explain procedure as well as best and worse case scenarios. The front desk ladies– Dee and Shar answered all my questions and made sure I was extremely comfortable. They do so wearing a smile on their faces!
I first got my Front 4 Veneer’s replaced and my smile has never looked better or more flashier. Off course, I wasn’t dreading my Veneer appointment as much as I was counting down the days to the removal of my wisdom teeth. Weird, In a way, I was almost looking forward to it. Came into the office with my driver and was put under sedation to have all four wisdom teeth removed. I woke up after the procedure and everyone was very friendly and I didn’t even realize they pulled them all out! I felt very little pain! Dr. Lapsi did such a great job at removing my wisdom teeth that I felt completely fine and astonished that my teeth were gone.
This is day two after the procedure and given the circumstances I am feeling great. I’m typing this from my work office at 1:30 PM the day after a 9AM procedure was done. It just explains how great his team worked to make my recovery time to everyday normal this fast !
I definitely will recommend Dr. Lapsi and his whole office to everyone who asks.

This review is for the office staff.
I did not have dental insurance at the time and they gave me a lot of information about different plans within different price ranges, and the potential cost of what I needed done. A few days later I bought a pretty cheap plan (less than $ 200 for a year) that greatly reduced the costs of any dental work that I need. I ended up going to a different dentist closer to my home, but I’m grateful for the information and care I received from the front desk staff at Excel.

Very professional and caring. Loved the atmosphere also. I was able to get an appt right away. The Dentist explained the entire procedure to me ahead of time. He made sure I understood before he started working on me. It really relaxed me and took the stress out. Thank you, Doc!

Love this office and the dentists! Office is nice and clean. Dr. Lapsi is the best! Dr. Wassef was great too. She did my fillings and cleaning and did an excellent job. Sharlene was very knowledgable with my insurance and super nice and helpful. They have their work cut out with my mouth, but they are doing a great job!

I work in Encinitas so I needed to find a dentist in North County that I could get to on my lunch break. The staff was great and I loved that I could request an appointment on their website. I always try and stay on top of my appointments and get regular cleanings– glad I have an easier option now! Great office with a fun vibe!

The dental work done to me was extensive. The dentist himself was great. The billing process is what I want to talk about. I do believe I’m owed money, but they have refused to bill my insurance. I had work done in December and after emails and phones telling me the billed my insurance. Guess what? Yep nothing yet. It’s almost the end of the year: so, don’t pay them unless they bill your insurance first. Now I’m going to report them to the BBB.

First, they were BLASTING the iTunes equivalent of Pandora’s tween radio at 8:45. Not exactly lie back in the chair and relax ambiance. But I told them about that and the office manager said she hadn’t figured out the volume control yet… OK. Second, I spent x minutes filling out that invasive personal history form for apparently no reason because the dentist proceeded to ask me if I floss, which I clearly marked as a once a day activity on the form. So would he have noticed if if marked something troubling on the form? I doubt he even read it.

Excel Dental and Implant Center is an easy 5-​star rating. I am happy that I discovered this great office where the dentists and staff are very friendly and professional. The office is also very clean and welcoming. It does not have that typical doctor’s office feel — meaning when I walk in for my appointment, there is typically little wait and if there is a bit of a wait, it doesn’t matter because the staff is so great. Cheers to Excel Dental! I will continue to go here as long as I can.

I had no problems with the dentist, and everyone seemed really nice. But they told me the cash only rate would be cheaper than going through insurance, so I paid the entire bill myself.
After I paid the entire bill, they submitted it to insurance anyway and got double paid. When I got paperwork from insurance saying they paid the claim, I was excited because I would be getting a lot of money back. But Excel Dental has given me the run around for MONTHS.
I contact them an average of three times before I get one response (I email and call.) I have an email chain full of apologies on their end, with promises, and timelines… but no real action. Once she told me if I would call her back on Thursday, that would be better for HER. Not so great customer service.
It’s nearly March and I am still waiting for my refund… FROM AUGUST. I am beyond frustrated!
Additionally, I’ve just found out that they’ve resubmitted the claim again, broken into two separate claims (they say my insurance asked for this) and both those claims show on their own paperwork as being processed and cleared… yet they are telling me that the claim still hasn’t been paid. One of the new charges is irrigation… aka spit sucker, which has been billed at $ 140 and not covered by insurance.
So I have three separate letters from insurance saying the claims have been paid…
I have two files from the dentist where the claim status is «processed and cleared»…
and I have an email chain chalk full of refund promises. Insurance fraud, perhaps???

I had moved to SD from Arizona, and had completely spaced on getting my dental cleanings. But I found Excel Dental through ZocDoc, and they have been wonderful. I needed my incredibly old metal fillings replaced, and they did it over two visits with minimal pain. Dr. Lapsi and Dr. Mason are both great dentists. Everyone at the office is friendly and welcoming. I’m happy I found them!

I’ve always thought of dentists as having dark, dark hearts, that beat in fits of rage, pumping out pure evil. The thought of some masked figure rooting around in my mouth, poking, judging, has always frightened me.
Now, I’m not one to be overly dramatic, but the condition inside my mouth more closely resembled the remains of an Arkansas trailer park after a summer twister, than the rows of pearly whites that win the hearts and minds of the ladies. After too many years of being too busy to care, half of a tooth in the back gave way under the pressure of a starlight mint. It chipped right in two. I was less concerned with the pain than I was with the hundreds of future visits to the dentist that those two wretched little pieces now ensured.
Once I got there, the torture chamber, I sat in the chair, expecting the Devil to come hither with his hayfork, delighted in his promise of thousands of root canals, cavernous cavities like honeycombs, Ebola of the gums. Or worse, making me feel like a stupid idiot for not brushing more regularly. None of those things happened, though.
One of the most adorably beautiful, impressively patient and wonderfully pleasant women I’ve ever met, Dee is her name, joined me at the chair, kept me company, and listened to me prattle on like mewling giraffe, trapped in the clutches of wild ivy. (I have the biggest crush on Dee, by the way. Such an impressive woman.) Before too long I was feeling much better about the whole affair. Just in time to meet Lydia, a thoughtful hygienist and x-​rayist. She was quick, gentle and skilled. She would later take a mold of my mouth. Which at the time, I could only assume would be used as a tool for scaring hillbilly children into flossing. But I later found out it was for a crown.
Enter: Dr. Lapsi. A thoughtful man. A man with a mind for medicine, and an eye for ascetics. He assessed the damage within, without as much as hiccup from me. He worked up a plan of action with nary a bad word about my neglectful ways. And when it came time to dive in, I didn’t even notice the needles. Before I knew it, he was done – all filled in. Not long afterward, the vibrant and quickly accommodating Charlene came in to share a plan for the care and feeding of my remaining chompers. Charlene knows her business. She figured out all the funding and insurance stuff, and she smiles so brightly while she hustles.
In short, thanks to Dr. Lapsi and the wonderful staff at Excel Dental, I’ve finally been able to put one of my worst fears to rest. (They also helped with my «irrational» fear of 1940s robots.) I give them a full five stars, or whatever the most amount of available stars is. If it were up to me, I’d add a moon in there for good measure. No fake.

Let’s be honest; no one likes going to the dentist … but the team at Excel Dental makes it as easy as it is going to get!
I started working in Carlsbad not too long ago and I needed to find a dentist that was more convenient and closer to my office. I found Excel Dental on ZocDoc and I am glad I did.
The staff is so friendly and helpful. My schedule isn’t always predictable, and they have always made it easy to change my appointment dates and times. I have never waited more than a few minutes to be seen any time I have been in. The dentists and dental hygienists are all very friendly and capable … and transparent! They explain everything they are doing and/​or suggest doing along the way.
I love the clean feeling when leaving the dentist and these guys make it as quick and painless as possible and do it with a bright smile — what more could you ask for from a dental visit?
I recommend Excel Dental to all my friends and now to all the Unilocalers!

I rarely review non-​restaurants, especially ones not in my area, but I felt Excel Dental and Dr. Lapsi deserved a glowing review from my experience.
First, let me say I was hesitant with the reviews that are all over the place for this dental office. I am very glad I chose Excel Dental and they get my rare 5 star rating!
I was on vacation with my family and had a sudden swelling and ache in my mouth. I knew this was not good. Being the weekend and I had to drive back to Las Vegas, I knew I could not last a 4+ hr drive, with a 4 year old and throbbing tooth ache. I got a hold of Dr. Lapsi and explained the office was not open. He heard my story and said he would be down in a little over an hour and open the office for me.
Dr. Lapsi arrives in less than 1 hour with his wife (who was dressed to the 9’s). They explained they were going to a birthday party after seeing me and I apologized profusely about the inconvenience on a weekend. His wife joked «I have paper work to do «and it gave her an excuse to catch up. I joked back «I’m sorry, but I love your sari.» (get it? Traditional Indian dress, sari… sorry.?? Bad pun.)
Needless to say Dr. Lapsi took care of me and this was the most amazing part of the tale. When it was time to pay, I realized I gave my cc to my wife (who was at Legoland with my son) and I did not have enough cash on hand. His wife explained that I could send them a check when I got back to Las Vegas!!! What? I was in shock! Dr. Lapsi and his wife were the most kind, generous and gracious people I’ve met. Let me walk out w/​o paying? Trust I will send them a check when I got back home. In a society where people can hardly trust their neighbors, it is refreshing to find people like this! I get it, if I was a regular customer… etc. But I was from out of town, they came down on their day off and did me a favor. Amazing!
I had to ask them about their reviews on Unilocal.They explained they used to have a different staff and different doctor… etc…etc. Things have changed and they are happy to provide the service. Needless to say I will recommend all my So Cal friends to them and if you are in need of a great dentist in the area, I highly recommend!

I’ve been to Excel Dental twice so far, and couldn’t be more satisfied with my experience. Dr. Lapsi and his associate Dr. Mason are both very nice and explained everything with me in detail so that I’d be comfortable with the procedures performed.
I expressed the fact that I have a lot of anxiety about having dental work done, and the doctor made sure I was at ease during my procedures. I’ve had 2 root canals and several fillings done so far with minimal discomfort which was a huge relief.
The staff is also very nice. Both the receptionist and the doctors’ assistant (Tina) are very knowledgeable and accommodating. They really set me at ease and were a wonderful first impression at the office.
They have extended and weekend hours which is also great for someone like me with kids and a hectic schedule. I’ll be continuing to go to Excel Dental for the rest of the work I need done.

I was lucky to find Dr. Lapsi when I did. I neglected my teeth for several years because I was fearful of the dentist and everything about a dental visit. My teeth were in pretty bad shape when I first went to Excel Dental. Not only were my fillings from when I was a child eroding, I had several cavities and a tooth that was near decaying.
I had mentioned to Dr. Lapsi of my fears of dental visits and he and his staff made me very comfortable for every visit. He and his office staff are very accommodating. Their office is always clean and relaxing during procedures. You can even watch a movie or listen to pandora during your procedure.
After several root canals and cosmetic procedures later, my teeth are now very healthy. Just in time for my wedding!
I have been going to Dr. Lapsi for several years now. He even squeezed me in when I broke off a crown while eating sticky candy that I knew I shouldn’t have eaten:)
Quality work like Dr. Lapsi and his staff perform is hard to come by and I am glad I found him for my growing family.

After waiting over a half hour in the waiting room, I was brought into a room. The dentist, before even taking xrays, looks at my mouth, and could tell me that I had 9 cavities, and I would need the full invisalign. He said I was not a candidate for the express invisalign. I had gone to a dentist 2 weeks ago, and they had said that I could get the invisalign express and that I only had 6 cavities.
Even though my insurance is not effective until Jan. 1^st, they insisted that my insurance will still pay for dental work prior to the effective date on my policy (since it is an HMO). They insisted that I have all of fillings replaced immediately, Since I was not available to do the fillings right away (at the consulation), they wanted me to come back on new years eve.
They were going to charge me more that double the deducible that I was promised when I signed up for my dental insurance plan. They showed me a deductible list of procedures that was not for my dental plan. I did not receive an invoice from them to bring home with me.
They were unprofessional and trying to scam me. BEWARE! I would NOT recommend this place to anyone!!! I will be reporting them to delta dental.