Advanced Metropolitan Dentistry

Dr Martini is fantastic and very talented at her work but her front desk staff are awful, rude and slow. I went in for 1 cleaning and they stretched it over 3 visits and I never did get my teeth cleaned! I have waited over and hour to see her in the past. Then when I moved a visit with more than a week’s notice I was marked for «repeatedly canceling appointments» and chided by this nasty front desk person like a bad child — I believe her name was Christine. Then when I arrived at my rescheduled appointment at the time she quoted me on the phone, there was a mix up in the scheduling and they refused to see me. The front desk person didn’t apologize for her error or try to accommodate me, she only repeatedly scolded me for my lateness despite my explaining I came at the time she told me — showing my calendar and the appointment reminder. I was shocked. I told her I would be finding another dentist. Then a week later, I even got a letter chiding me for lateness after I’d stopped going there. WTF? I would not recommend this place unless Dr Martini hires new front desk staff. And even then, good god. What a horrible experience.

Meh. I’ve experienced MUCH better. The first time i was waiting past my appt time which was frustrating because i was using my lunch break for the appt and I felt like the cleaning was not as thorough as my others in the past at other offices. But because this is across the street from my work and very convenient I decided to give it another shot. Same thing happened this time, and the cleaning I felt was very minimal. I later received a bill for fluoride, which i declined while in office because my insurance doesn’t cover it– I then had to call to have this removed. I also called and left a message with a question regarding my veneers and never received a return phone call. It’s been about a month. I will not be going back to this office.

Places like this are the reason that health insurance costs are so high. The business practice here embodies everything that is wrong with healthcare in the United States.
They will use poor evidence to try to make you purchase unnecessary procedures. Not only are they unnecessary, but while most dentists view these procedures as harmless they are potentially more harmful than the budding of gum disease they claim to resolve.
Please do not give them business — crooked medical practices like these cause harm to individuals and drain money out of the pockets of every American.
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In the middle of the usual dentist paperwork, I was very surprised to find a form which asked me to enter my credit card number and agree to pay any fees beyond the estimated amount.
This is when my BS meter began to go off, and it did not stop going off for the rest of my visit.
I was given 18 X-​Rays at the beginning of my visit. Because of some F ups, it was more like 25 X-​Rays. When I expressed that I had never had more than 4 X-​Rays at a dentist in one appointment and was alarmed I was assured first off by the hygienist saying, «Well, it’s worse for us» (good one. real reassuring.) and secondly that I was being exposed to less radiation than I would be by going on a flight. Isn’t that the same spiel they give you with four X-​Rays? I don’t buy it. But you know what I do buy? That insurance companies pay for preventive X-​rays.
While giving the normal cleaning talk they started small, talking about my gums and how I may want to consider having another routine done. At each point they would ask if I had ever been told anything like this — maybe to gauge if I would be convinced — and begin telling me that I need a deep cleaning. They bring someone in and use a caliper that they stick in between my gums and my teeth on three different spots on the inside and the outside of every single tooth and begin to measure millimeters. They then go through each quadrant and count how many teeth are bleeding them after using this caliper (sharp metal, between the gums and the tooth) on every single tooth.
When they’re out of the room I google the routine. The American Academy of Periodontology recommends that with a «pocket» in the gums of greater than 4 mm you get a scaling and root planing. Most of mine were 3s and 4s. One part of one tooth (out of 6 total measurements of each tooth) was 5 mm.
The dentist comes back in and claims I need all four quadrants of my mouth cleaned. She begins to look through X-​rays (after the hygienist showed me examples of bone vs bone loss in the teeth) and I look and see bone surrounding all of my teeth. She then spends 3 minutes on one X-​ray just waving a Photoshop style curve back and forth to make the image brighter and darker on the screen for a few minutes while trying to convince me of the routine, while not pointing out something specific. Attempted brainwashing with fancy lights? Perhaps.
She doesn’t ask me about an appointment, just *tells* me we’ll be setting two up in the future and getting them scheduled in a very declarative manner — very hard sell.
I go up front and their front desk reveals that their practice policy is above 3 mm pocket for deep cleaning. Conveniently different from the 5 mm American Academy of Periodontology recommends. She takes a very long time getting down to the bottom line of what it costs. Oh, just three treatments of $ 250 each.
I reveal that no, because this policy is different than the OFFICIAL MEDICAL RESEARCH association that no, I am not going to pay it.
I’m starting an experiment. I’m going to floss regularly (my main failing) and see if I really need anything. If I end up needing something when I go to a different dentist, I’ll change this review from being one star.
Unfortunately you’ll see many other people have reviewed the business’s poor practices in the same manner as me.

(Reposting this review under the correct business in Unilocal)
I found Dr. Martini to be very patient and calm which is kinda important for me because dentist office visit is usually mentally traumatizing to me as it probably is to a lot of people. I think her office staff could be a little quicker especially with sending/​receiving your referral files and using technology better in general. Also, when you’re confirming your appointment, I recommend that you ask the usual questions about whether you can go back to work after the session, whether you can eat, etc. yourself and prepare accordingly. The staff won’t volunteer this kind of information on their own, which is kinda weird. But nonetheless, they’ll answer them well if you asked the questions. Overall, I think I’d give her staff 4 stars and the doctor herself 5 stars. She’s smart, skilled with her hands and knows what she’s talking about

Hands down the worst dental service I’ve ever received. Lied about cavities I do not have. (verified by two other dentists) Had a incompetent tech take a digital picture of the inside of my mouth, showed it to me and told me i could floss better, then charged a $ 35 consulting fee not covered by insurance. Tricked me into getting xrays too soon, so were not covered by insurance leaving me to pays hundreds for no reason. New, yet very cheap equipment. Looks like it came from Ikea. No nitrous oxide, because it’s not in the best interest of the employees. This business is there for them, not for us, the patients. The one good thing I can say is that the hygienist is HOT!, (which was pointed out to me by Dr. Martina, weird) and she does a great job cleaning. The focus is making money, not patient care.

I am a new patient at AMD. I found them via a promotional coupon for free teeth whitening. I did my homework and read all the Unilocal reviews ahead of time. I’ve had 2 appointments so far, both times on the look out for the things other people complained about (and raved about) in their reviews. Yes, MyLien walks on water. Sweet, thorough, excellent at her job. Svetlana, same thing. Dr. Martini is fantastic, personable.
So I left my appointment today forgetting to grab some instructions for my whitening gel and later thought to myself, «I need to call AMD and see if they’ll email them to me.» By the time I got back to my office… WHAM! Nomeda had already sent them to me. That is not expected, that is appreciated, that is thoughtful, that is 5 stars.

A friend/​co-​worker recommended that I check out AMD for a second opinion because my dentist at the time quoted me something super outrageous for 5 (small) fillings. After seeing Dr. Martini, I decided to keep coming to AMD. She was nice and straight-​forward. She took good care of me and her quote came in at about a quarter of what my previous dentist would have cost me.
I’m a huge fan of their staff and their warm neck pillows. Also, get there early to have a few mins in the massage chair!

The issue is not with the service. They did an average job on my teeth. They are money hungry. My new dentist called them and they freaked out. Well don’t tell me that my double coverage does not cover the minimum of 70% of my spouses insurance when the insurance and other dentist says yes. Needless to say, I left.

I have been going to AMD for six years, and have only positive things to say. The front desk, Dr. Martini, and especially the dental hygienists are great. My regular hygeinist, MyLien, is truly amazing — I can’t say enough good things about her.
There is never any up sell (I am also confused by the neg reviewers — written by competitors maybe?) and the work is extremely competent, gentle, and performed in the friendliest dental office I’ve ever been too. I will be a returning customer for many many years!
Lastly, Dr. Martini is NOT cold — and shame on the reviewer who said so. What a terrible thing to say about someone in a business review. She spends quite a lot of her time and expertise volunteering dental aid in third world countries. As a doctor, it is her job to be quick and efficient, and she is, but if she has time to talk, she has some great stories.

I have had the pleasure of having Dr. Martini as my dentist for over 5 years now. I must say that Dr. Martini & her entire team has been such a pleasure to work with… as much fun as you can have at the dentist! ;-). I have had a lot of work done on my teeth, and in all experiences, I have been extremely happy. I have found the entire office to professional, kind, personable & represents Dr. Martini’s profession very well. I would highly recommend Dr. Martini to anyone in need of dental care, and can refer them with confidence.

I really don’t understand all the negative reviews of Advanced Metropolitan Dentistry. I went there initially for a teeth cleaning because it was close to where I live.
I have probably the weirdest dental insurance on the planet. They took it with no problems. I also had a contact area from a recent filling from another dentist that was screwed up. Dr Martini came in at the end of my cleaning and fixed this for free in a matter of minutes!
The staff was great, from reception all the way through. They were running right on time for my appointment at the end of the day, and explained all the procedures and options — i’ve had a lot of other dentists just tell you what they’re going to do and then hand you a bill afterwards, Dr Martini and her staff explained my options up front so that I knew what I was getting into.
I will definitely be going back to Advanced Metropolitan Dentistry.

The office is super friendly and booked me an appointment quickly when i broke a tooth. Just had the temporary crown put on and it is the best fitting temporary I have ever had. I think Dr. Martini did a great job and would recommend her and the whole office.
Sandy K

Advanced Metropolitan Dentistry strikes a perfect balance between recommending beneficial treatments and letting the patient’s brushing and flossing regimen remedy smaller issues. For more than four years I’ve been driving all the way from Tacoma to seek treatment from Advanced Metro’s Seattle staff. My teeth are bad by default. Gum bleeding and tooth aches had long been the norm, but my mouth feels as healthy now as it ever has.
In addition to the regular cleanings, Dr. Martini and her assistants have treated me for a root canal and early-​stage gum disease. In all cases, Dr. Martini offered compelling evidence that the treatments should be performed. I was especially surprised by how quickly and painlessly the root canal was completed and by the compassion of her assistant.
Advanced Metro is a good fit for the patient who desires more than the cheapest crown in town and is seeking a set of dedicated professionals interested in their patients’ oral health.

I was new to the area and need my semiannual cleaning. I used my insurance company’s website to my surprise they were a block away from my apartment. They were able to see me the same week! The staff was amazing and welcomed me to the area and walked me through what they were doing. A great place if you are scared of the dentist!

I had not been to a dentist in over 5 years and I told AMD this so they would understand that I was nervous. The girl took my digital extra’s and had to redo amost everyone of them. Then they started telling me I needed laser gum repair treatment as well as about 8 crowns. I left out of them with a $ 16,000 and they tried to get me to apply for a dentistry line of credit before I left to get started on the work.
Needless to say I went for a second opinion and the x-​rays AMD sent over were so bad he had to redo all the x-​rays and told me I only needed 2 crowns and did not feel gum treatment was neccessary.
$$ MONEY MONEY MONEY $$
The kicker is they sent me a letter in the mail about a month after my appointment with pictures of my teeth — TACKY! Who does that?

Gave me crown on a tooth that was not bothering me as a «preventive» measure and now the tooth hurts when I chew even the most soft food. I am missing a crown on my top row of teeth but she chose to put a crown on that other tooth first. Why not do what needs to be done first? Now I still have a missing crown and A tooth with a new crown that hurts. Great!
I guess my biggest complaint is Dr. Martini herself, ZERO personality. She barely says two words to you. She talks about other patients to the assistant while she works on you and on one occasion she scolded the assistant in front of me for leaving equipment on the counter. It was very uncomfortable and unprofessional.
I have a new dentist and when I showed him Dr. Martinis dental plan he pretty much threw half of it out the window. I wish I would of followed my instincts sooner and never went back to Dr.Martini.
My response to Jurga M’s comment:
Thanks for responding to my review. Its only been over a year since I wrote it. Talking about other patients and scolding the staff was not an «impression». I WAS THERE. I witnessed both events. What a polite way to call me a liar. Your response to my review only adds to the negativity I associate with your business, and from the looks of it, i’m not alone.

life advice: when your new dentist hands you a $ 3000 treatment plan, seek a second opinion. Don’t be like me and wide-​eyed, flabbergasted, accepting what they tell you. GET A SECOND OPINION. There ARE cheaper options, like simply flossing and mouthrinse that will fix your dental hygiene problems. They’re simply trying to make some major money off of you by telling you your problems seem worse than they are. I’ve always had my bi-​annual dentist visits, with nothing ever out of the ordinary. Sure, I didn’t floss regularly, but that doesn’t mean I needed $ 3000 worth of work done! Dental costs are insane, but $ 3000 is beyond that. don’t be fooled.
everyone seems nice, knowledgable and well-​intentioned enough. but i just feel taken advantage of now. and was stressed out for no reason. get a friend or coworker’s recommendation for a dentist. anywhere but here.

I had been going to Advanced Metropolitan Dentistry for about 3 years before I decided enough was enough and left. The staff here has always been great and the office is nice, but I don’t think you go to the dentist to get a paraffin hand treatment. This is one of the unusual things they offer — which I, as a patient, makes me raise an eyebrow– is this what I’m partially paying for with my dental expenses??!
The situation that made me decide that Dr. Martini wasn’t for me was when they found a lot of things that need to be fixed ASAP during my last cleaning 6 months ago. One being an expensive crown and a cavity. I decided to go through with that procedure and wait till the following year to do the rest. I was told the appointment would take 2 hours — so this was the time estimate I gave to my work when I took off that day — turns out I was there for FOUR hours. This was just for the fitting of the crown and one cavity. I come back a few weeks later to get the permanent crow (taking another hour off of work) and turns out, the crown that took them 4 hours to fit — didn’t fit. I was then asked to come back again in another few weeks — they would get a new crown for me. At this point — a dentist that was neither bad or wonderful in my opinion — became a «Eek! Me thinks not.» My last appointment here was October 2010.
Fast forward to February 2011. I find a new dentist — and couldn’t be happier. They found absolutely nothing wrong, he said my teeth were healthy. Apparently, all of the other procedures that Dr. Martini wanted to do, that I had to wait till a new year for my insurance to cover, really weren’t «urgent» at all.

As the other reviews have stated the staff is nice and the atmosphere is relaxing. They have done fairly good work on my teeth and kept me educated.
My complaints — every time I have an appointment something goes wrong. Twice I wasn’t on the schedule… twice!!! I got the «we have no idea what happen» response. My latest appointment I had scheduled months ahead — then a week prior they call to tell me they are going to be out of the office for a class… the whole office?! So I had to schedule at another time — of course now everything is booked because it’s so close to the original date so I had to pick a time I’d rather not have.
All these mistakes and changes makes them appear unorganized when they probably aren’t. No one enjoys going to the dentist and these things stand out when Dr. Martini and staff are trying to make the visit a positive one.

The people that wrote good reviews for this office have to be kidding or really weird Seatleites who like other cold weirdos. This place is a joke.
Here is why:
1. The woman (reception? hygienist?) who greets you is the most time consuming over-​explainer you will ever meet.
2. Although my husband and I have Microsoft insurance (um, probably the best and most common insurance encountered in Seattle) they had no idea what was covered (hello, invitro is covered, I think my cleaning *probably* is too), and so we had a endure 20 minute discussion explaining her assumptions with us.
3. They tried to sell us an $ 80 electric toothbrush in the middle of my exam. Ha. Are you serious?
4. Dr. Martini is the coldest women I have ever met. She has ZERO bedside manner or personality. I had concerns about anesthesia (since I am pregnant) and she gave me a 2 word response: «It’s fine».
5. Despite our awesome insurance they gave me an out of pocket quote for thousands of dollars.
6. My six complaint is the kicker. After this crap-​ass experience, I obviously did not make another «follow-​up» appointment to complete my «treatment plan». So, they used their best scare tactic mailing me pictures of my cavity! Who does that? Weirdos. That’s who.
Go see Dr. Roberts in Capitol Hill… my new dentist.