Montecito Town Center Dental Group and Orthodontics

STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!!! I’ve always had excellent teeth and I take extremely good care of them. I came here just for a regular cleaning that I get twice a year and thought this would be a good place to try. I was horribly wrong and will never come here again. They will try to upsell you «deep cleanings» which are nothing more than a scam to get more money out of you because your insurance company will not pay for the add on charge. Along with upcharging for cleanings they will try to convince you that you are in need of things such as root canals and crowns. They told me that I needed a root canal which is not only an expensive procedure but also a painful one. I ventured and got a second opinion who said that I was fine and was only experiencing temporary sinus inflammation. I know several dental professionals and have spoken to them about this. They advised that root canals are always a last resort. The fact that this place is misdiagnosing and soliciting unneeded services just to increase profits is completely shameful.

I have been a patient of Montecito Town Center Dental Group and Orthodontics for 3.5 years. Every single time I walk in, the staff is incredibly polite and hospitable.
Over the 3.5 years, I have had two different dentists (Dr. Jackson moved so now I am a patient of Dr. Hoang), 3 or 4 different hygienists, and Dr. Calder removed all 4 of my wisdom teeth. Each person I have encountered has always been extremely helpful in answering my questions or informing me of any changes to my dental health.
This office is great and I would definitely recommend!

Very friendly and helpful staff, from Jerry who did my x-​rays to Kathy who did my cleaning and scaling. The problem with this place is all of the upselling. I have yet to visit when they didn’t try to turn a routine cleaning into a $ 400-​$ 600 visit. At this point I’m tired of dealing with it, and I have asked friends in the dental field for a recommendation for a new dental office.

I love this place. The staff there is awesome. They have state of the art equipment. They do 3-​D x-​rays of your gums and teeth. This place is clean, the staff is professional and friendly. They take their time with the customers. They explain all cost in advance. I cannot say enough about this place. I would tell anybody to go here for a checkup.
If you want a pleasant dental experience go to the Montecito Dental Group.

What can I say? From start to finish the great people here are friendly and professional. They offer a wide range of treatments and options but don’t push. I felt very welcome and relaxed. I could see the teamwork was natural and not forced. The office treatment rooms are up to date and very well kept. Lisa from New Jersey was great. She made my Deep Cleaning a pleasant and (nearly) painless experience. With amazing people like her, I WANT to go to the dentist.

After reading some of the other reviews I now know I was taken too. The office is very high tech and clean but the assisting staff are a bit bumbling. I have excellent county insurance and never had to pay more then a $ 5 copay at my last dentist but thought I’d give them a try since they were down the street. I was told I needed a filling but the kind of filling I wanted would be $ 283 more even tho it was the same as the rest of fillings in my mouth and I never paid extra. I paid and had procedure and cleaning. A few days later I was having a lot of sensitivity and pain so I went back in thinking they’d do what my old dentist did in past which was apply a desensitizing ointment on it. Instead they just looked at tooth and said now I need a ROOT CANAL. Sound familiar??. I scheduled but then went back to my old dentist for second opinion and they said YOU DO NOT NEED A ROOT CANAL… she applied ointment and had me use sensodyne tooth paste and within 3 months no pain or sensitivity. I would BEWARE and know they are going to fleece you beyond what your insurance covers. RUN. Not an ethical dentist and that fancy office is paid for by overcharging and our lack of knowledge.

The most secure and comfortable I’ve ever felt about a dentist and the care and the treatment I received they also were very considerate of my financial situation to work the solution and to help me with my needs for a great smile and my teeth cleaning was very comfortable not painful at all pain management in the care that they take is really appreciative so thumbs up to everyone there

Staff is always friendly, even in the morning when I have not had a chance to fill up my coffee tank. In the waiting room they have a Kuerig machine to help you with your morning pick me up. Office staff is efficient and knowledgeable in various insurance policies, hurdles and can help you navigate any challenges.
The appointment execution in prompt and precise like a German train schedule. I have had only great experiences at Montecito Dental and would recommend you give them a try. They also offer a Unilocal special for first time customers.

Here is their process: Have the patient check in and sign off on mystery documents that they don’t show you unless you ask. If you ask, they will just turn the monitor around. If patient asks for a low cost procedure, make a «mistake» and schedule them for the more costly one.
Also, if you need a cavity filled, it will turn into a root canal and crown whenever possible. Everyone needs tooth scaling not just regular cleaning. Laser for those gums is essential for everyone but your insurance won’t reimburse. Xrays, xrays, xrays…
If you look like you can pay (or your insurance will), prepare to get hit with some high cost — mediocre dental work. If you have half a brain cell, run far, far away.

I just moved to Vegas. And I never wrote a bad review in my life. First appointment was pretty nice but later I started to understand what’s going on in there. It feels like a factory! Boom Bam done! They try to push root canals and crowns on every possible tooth, which will cost you a lot of money in here. Some tools, computers and cameras are not working, always feeling of being rushed. Ladies at the front desk are nice though. I came with one tooth on the right side with cavity, that didn’t hurt much, I just wanted to fix it. I’ve been told I have the same cavity problem on the other side (other side didn’t bother me at all). Dr. Samira Farokh said I need crowns on both of them, and root canals on both. I explained my budget situation, that I can’t do all of it right now, and maybe after New Year I may do it. So, they ended up making two fillings instead, that constantly hurt very bad. My entire mouth hurts and reacts to cold and hot. Also, for some reason I keep biting my right cheek even though before my visit that tooth that didn’t hurt at all, remember? So I came back and said that the second tooth hurt more now than the one that I actually came to fix. They scheduled root canal on the right tooth. I came in and by mistake they prepared to do the root canal on the left side. I asked the root canal guy not to start to drill anything in there because it’s wrong tooth, and he answered «Don’t worry I’m not gonna drill anything until I will be sure I’ll get paid.» Then they did x-​rays all over again, all the processes with payments and how much it would cost. While they were doing that and I agreed on the procedure, my time ran out and that guy who supposed to do the root canal was already busy with another client. Then they scheduled my root canal procedure after 1 week.(One more week I should feel pain) I felt that someth was wrong with them so I went to another dentistry for a second opinion and they told me I don’t need root canal at all. I forgot to mention that they wanted me to do the cleaning at Montecito Dentistry which cost almost 1K and after insurance coverage I would pay $ 499. As they said it’s some deep cleaning that I need not the regular one. Guess what? I bought a groupon for another dentistry and payed $ 42 for cleaning, exam and x-​ray. And the dentist who made my cleaning said I didn’t need deep cleaning cause my gums are pretty healthy. When I was going to buy Unilocal deal for cleaning at Montecito They said I can’t receive it because I have insurance. I canceled my root canal appointment and going to go to a different dentistry even though it’s twice more time to drive. I’m so disappointed. Be aware, and always get a second opinion.

Dr. Miller was great :) I hadn’t been to the dentist in about two years and previously had some gum grafting done. I specifically chose this office as they had both a dentist, periodontist, and orthodontist in one office. I had X-​rays, cleaning, a filling and a whole bunch of questions answered in just over an hour. The doctor and front staff were very easy to work with, accommodating of my schedule, and pleasant. Most importantly the entire cleaning and the filling were completely painless. I’m actually looking forward to my next dental visit :)

Dr. M. Chon is the best dentist I ever had. Office staff is friendly, short to no wait times.

Michael Chon is amazing! Didn’t even feel the novo shots or filling. My two crowns came out perfect. Assistant was super cheerful and personable. Didn’t feel any pressure for unnecessary treatments. Treatments were priced before performed. Never going anywhere else. If they had an on-​site weekday orthodontist, this place would be even better!

Went to get my lower denture adjusted and had to pay. The lady who booked me in the beginning said that there was no charge … On my out said that there was a 47.00 charge …
So I paid it … Called back 2 days later to get another adjustment and the lady said that I need to go to another dentist to get them adjusted. That they only do that once … What the heck is that !!

I will preface this review by saying that I had been to this location several times before, and this experience today was the first time this has happened to me. The other experiences I’ve had have been very positive.
I checked in for an appointment 20 minutes prior to the actual appointment time. When I did so, there was one other gentleman in the waiting room that got called back only a few minutes after I sat down. Over the next 40 minutes, many, many people checked in and were called back. Every single person in the waiting room was there for less than ten minutes before being called back. No one told me it would only be a bit longer, or offered to check to see what the problem was before I walked up to the desk to reschedule my appointment.
I will go to my rescheduled appointment and hope to not have the same experience, as that would cause me to find a new dentist.

Dr Samira was our dentist. Besides her beautiful physique, she’s super smart, down to earth, and great with children. She complimented our family on our teeth after not going to the dentist after 4 years, didn’t try to trick us or cheat us like our last dentist experience. We got a cleaning, husband got a deep cleaning and my son had a couple cavities. She told me to stop feeding my son gummy vitamins but if we do, to brush his teeth right after. She’s great, calming, highly recommend her. Thank you.

First off, this place is really clean and has a good welcoming feeling. Everything else about this place, is shady. I first came to this establishment a year ago and had a not so pleasant experience, but because i am all about second chances, i thought i would try a different dentist and try it one more time.
So, recently i had chipped my tooth and i was in need of a check-​up. I knew i had a deep cleaning that needed to be done and the chipped tooth has no pain whatsoever, so i thought it would be a simple filling and a deep cleaning. However, after the Doctor took x-​rays and did a 2 minute exam he told me the chipped tooth was in need of a root canal. The doctor did some photo imagining on my tooth and showed that it was close to the root and it needs to be done right away. Last time i had a root canal at this establishment, i had a horrible experience. Lets just say a procedure that should have taken no more then 3 hours, ended up being close to 6 hours and i still had to come back two days later for a new impression of the tooth needing a crown, since they couldn’t get an impression in the 6 hours 2-​days before. So unfortunately, my anxiety about a second root canal, put me on edge. Plus, again no pain with the tooth. So i said, okay… And soon they sent in a insurance person to discuss my deep cleaning and a root canal. I advised, i needed to do the root canal first, but they said they would need to do the deep cleaning first. So after scheduling the deep cleaning, they started to talk to me about the recommended crown i would need after my root canal. Of course, the doctor recommended the most expensive crown. When i told the insurance person, i just need the basic porcelain-​metal infused crown, i again was told about the more expensive crown. After about 10 minutes of going back and forth about what the doctor recommends vs what i wanted… i was able to get the crown i was wanting to pay for. BEWARE, they are all about up-​selling. Lets face it, its cheaper to do a filling, but a lot more expensive to do a root canal… And these Doctors need to pay off there loans, and therefore will charge you more. After all of this, i had to get a 2^nd opinion.
On the same day, i got a second opinion because i truly felt i was being taken advantage of. The new dentist was a lot more welcoming and listened to me. She took x-​rays, tapped on the tooth, and ran a few hot/​cold tests to see if my root was exposed… And guess what… No Pain. So she looks at me, and says… You do not need a root canal. When i told her that i was told i needed one, she said it was misdiagnosed. She did say i needed a crown and if she got in there and saw i needed one (root canal), she would take care of it then. But she would try to save the tooth. A concept that Montecito Town dental seems not to practice.
Soon after this second opinion, i called to cancel all future appointments with Montecito Dental. I will never come back to this place nor refer my friends. They are all about making money at your expense and hoping you do not question it. I really ask, anyone who reads this and is told they need a root canal with no pain… get a second opinion. Its more expensive to give root canals, so i understand why this place pushes root canals. Research… Root canals are the most misdiagnosed procedures in dental work, because they are one of the more expensive ones.
I have since then, got the chipped tooth fixed (with a crown; with no root canal). Montecito will try to up-​sell and recommend the most expensive options… watch out. Recommended does not mean you need it. Advocate for yourself and ask questions. If you do not feel confident with there opinion, get a second opinion. They need your business and should be more willing to work with you, rather then take advantage of the situation and try to make as much unnecessary profit at your expense.

Update from April; I just got my wisdom teeth out by Dr. Charles Calder. He was very nice & made me comfortable! I don’t remember his assistant’s name, but she was very nice as well! I was so incredibly nervous & scared to get my wisdom teeth out, I almost started crying while going over everything in the chair, but they both were so understanding. I also got to be put under, which was WONDERFUL. I’ve read horror stories where patients are awake & can hear the drilling, so I was so glad to not be awake. Dr. Calder informed me that he was going to give me something that will help calm me down & the next thing I remember is being wheeled out to the car for my husband to take me home. I believe it took about 30 – 45 minutes to get them out & I felt so good afterwards!
I just wanted to thank everyone involved for such great customer service, I feel so comfortable being able to call with any questions! I feel terrible because I don’t remember the name of the nice lady that scheduled my whole oral surgery & answered all my questions over the course of a few days. Every time I went in, she remembered who I was & asked me how I was doing/​feeling. I get so nervous, I think, & then I forget her name. Kristy maybe? But a huge thanks to her, I’m so sorry I forgot your name!
I know this is long, but I wanted to give as much an accurate review as I could! I definitely recommend this place to EVERYONE!

I’ve been meaning to write this review for some time, being that I went back in Nov 2014, and a recent call from them reminded me to do so.
BUYER BEWARE:
I came here based on the Unilocal reviews, just receiving dental insurance through my employer and wanting to get a check up. This location was very close to where I lived so I decided to check it out.
As per other reviews, it is very clean and yes, the staff is friendly.
The poor review comes from this place is just shady and untrustworthy when it comes to services offered.
I have had great teeth my entire life and I’ve never been one to suffer with tooth or gum issues.
When I went in for the check up I came expecting a regular cleaning, x-​rays, the usual.
I received my x-​rays and after some time was told I needed fillings in two teeth. I trusted the dentist (cannot remember the name) and received them. When he finished he said we were done for the day, and I asked about the cleaning, where he said someone would have to be in to talk to me about the cleaning.
The receptionist or someone from the front, came in and proceeded to tell me that I needed root scaling and a deep cleaning that required lazer treatment, novocaine, etc (red flag #1). And also wanted to schedule my wisdom teeth extraction. The wisdom teeth extraction was accurate, I did need it– I was well overdue.
But while my gut feeling told me something was not right I shrugged it off as not wanting to receive the Novocaine and FORTUNATELY the hygienist wasn’t in that day so I didn’t get it done that day, but scheduled it for the following week. I tried to schedule the wisdom teeth extraction at the same time and was told I needed the cleaning first (red flag #2)
After leaving I had a nagging feeling something was wrong with what I was told, so, I got not ONE but TWO second opinions from two separate offices and dental hygienists.
I did not tell them what I was told or what was wrong, to test them, I just went in to inquire about a cleaning.
Not only was I told I didn’t need root scaling or anything of the like, but I was told I had some of the cleanest, immaculate teeth they’ve ever seen (considering I hadn’t had a cleaning in about 3 years) and I barely needed a polish. The dentist also told me that the new fillings I had received were «very shallow».
I never went back, (I went to a separate, very well known/​well qualified Oral Surgeon for my wisdom teeth who told me what I was told about having my teeth cleaned first was a crock of s***)
Two weeks ago I receive a call about my «cleaning» (6 months later). I called back to cancel my appointment (which I don’t recall ever rescheduling). The receptionist was pushy with me and said «Are you sure, this is your important deep cleaning that you need» or something to that extent, I told her not only will I never be back because I’ve since relocated, but briefly explained the above about my second opinion and told them they should be ashamed for trying to sell something (that is painful might I add) to people who didn’t need it. She went silent and said goodbye and hung up quickly.
CLIFFS:
Will take advantage of you if they think you’re naïve, especially if you have good insurance that will pay out for high cost treatments
GET A SECOND OPINION or better yet just find a smaller, reliable family dental care practitioner that isn’t run by a corporation that has a lot of issues with the BBB

I truly don’t understand any negative reviews for this place. Like what more do you want from going to the dentist?
My first experience here was an emergency visit after being in extreme pain from an infected wisdom tooth. They got me in immediately and scheduled me to get them removed. I have never been put under and was terrified, but it couldn’t have been a better experience. It was super quick and I wasn’t in a lot of pain.
I’ve since come for a cleaning and again, a great experience. The staff is super friendly, anything that my insurance hasn’t covered was very clearly explained beforehand and it’s a clean office. I highly recommend!