Wow. It's hard to put into words the amazing level of care and service I receive at this dental…read moreoffice. I'm a very nervous dental patient with TMJ challenges and a history of difficult experiences elsewhere. For over ten years I drove all the way to La Mesa for my dental care because I didn't think I could find a dentist in North County who met that same level of trust and skill. I am a tooth grinder and so I got some beautiful gold crowns put on my back molars to hopefully mitigate future challenges and assure a healthy job for years to come. Not every Dentist is able to do gold crowns so I really appreciated that aspect. I'm so glad I took a chance with Dr. Adourian and his team. Not only is Dr. Adourian incredibly skilled, gentle, and thorough, but T and all of the front-desk ladies make me feel genuinely welcome and at ease every single visit. The office has such a warm, friendly, local atmosphere there is nothing corporate or impersonal about it. This is the kind of dental office I plan to stay with for life, and one I recommend wholeheartedly to all of my family and friends.

Both of my kids had an appointment on May 20th. That I had to cancel last minute do to my grandma…read morefalling from the second floor and being in the ICU battling life and death. I never rescheduled them because my grandma is still on a ventilator and unsure if she will be getting disconnected. On 6/8/26 my husband had an appt. That I also helped him cancel because he was stuck in traffic due to the fire on 76hwy and canyon road. In Oceanside. Which the office said they would wave the cancelation fee and that it was ok. On 6/10 i had an appt to follow up on my deep cleaning appt. Which my intention were to attend my appointment but had was planning to cancel due to the fire near my house, near vandegrift blvd. We were on stand by to Evacuate. After calling the dental office to communicate that, they informed me that I would get billed $60 for canceling my appointment because I had canceled my kids appt. And my husband appointment. I went ahead to explain to both the front desk and the office manager that I wasn't canceling intentionally and that it was due to unforeseen events out of my control. They still said that if I didn't come in to be seen I would get fine for canceling. Not only was I getting fine for cancelling but was I was getting penalized for my husbands cancellation and my kids cancellation as a family, at least that's what i was told. That because my husband had canceled his appt. His cancellation icounted towards me as a patient because he is my husband. I continued to explain that I didn't think it was fair that his cancelation as a patient was affecting me, as he is his own persona and I shouldn't get penalized for it since we are 2 different patients. I also informed them that their cancelation fee contract did not specify that cancelations as a family counted towards any family member and how it didn't make sense his cancelation was counting towards me as a patient... when billing his insurance the office of billing for his visit when he gets seen under his name not under mine... and vise Versa... I just didn't think it was fair I was getting penalized over a cancellation that had nothing to do with me as a patient.... I requested to speak to the doctor or anyone higher than the office manager but she said she wasn't going to bother the doctor/owner with that as there was a reason she was hired and it was to enforce policy. After being literally forced to come in to my dental follow up so I wouldn't get a fee, I came in, checked in and asked to Speak to the doctor or anyone else in charge and "no one was available" I left the office with out scheduling further and with out speaking to any of the doctors... today 6/11-I called the office and requested to speak to the doctor and left a message for a call back but no one ever called me back. I was told to email the office by the receptionist because the doctor was busy... I emailed the office and requested to speak to the doctor and the office responded back with a dismissal letter from their practice instead for my whole family... I find it very unprofessional that the owner did not take the time to listen to my concerns as a patient and that the office lacked of empathy for our unforeseen cancelation events that were not within my control. There were events that somehow put myself and family at risk. I even informed the office that I had proof that I wasn't lying and that I didn't want to cancel just to cancel... I understand if they wanted to count my kids cancelation towards me as a patient because they're underage and I'm their mom... it just didn't make sense how I was getting penalized over my husband cancelation just because he is my husband and is their patient... I was not rude and all I wanted was the doctor to hear my side of the story and empathize with our emergency life events and that did not happen. This experience makes me feel like they don't value their patients and they obviously don't care about them either... I understand that the office doesn't want to loose money because they still have to pay their hygienists if a patient cancels, as I was told... but they should be more understanding if there are patients that are actually going through family emergencies like being at risk of evacuation because of a fire near their home or having your grandma be resuscitated and put on a ventilator, for the reason that you're having to cancel your appointments with them. Lastly, not given the opportunity to speak to someone higher than the "office manager/font office girls" just speaks loudly of the office itself. This experience was very irrational and just speak how poor their customer service is and how they lack of value towards their patients and compassion.

Dr Irani and her team is absolutely amazing. Super nice staff. Always very welcoming!!! Highly…read morerecommend this place!

I made an appointment first time visit. 2.5 weeks away, the day before they called and asked for a…read morecopy of my dental insurance I complied by emailing. They called back and said they don't accept HMOs, however they are listed as doing so! That was 3 weeks ago! I have an appointment tomorrow with another Dental office and I called them this morning

Overall, I really like this clinic. I am surprised that others are having bad experiences. My…read moredentist is Dominique Winfield, DDS. She is sweet, kind, gentle, and listens. The hygienist, Kat, is fantastic! The best I've ever encountered, and I'm in my 60s. Prior to using this clinic and due to my own neglect, I had gum disease with pockets in the 4, 5, and 6 numbers. This required a deep gum cleaning every 3 months and brushing after every meal and using a WaterPik and professional dental pick. A WaterPik is much more effective than floss; I don't even floss anymore. I've been able to move my cleanings to every 6 months. Kat has done the deep cleaning 4 or 5 times. She is very careful, steady-handed, and gentle. I use a dental savings plan, Principal Dental Access Plan (formerly New Dental Choice), not insurance. In my experience and opinion, it's much better, less hassle for the patient and the clinic, and less costly than an insurance plan. At my first visit in 2023, I was treated by Dr. Kringel. He was great, but has moved out of state. My previous dentist in another clinic had warned that a 2-year-old Cerec crown had a lip/edge bad margin and needed to be replaced. She had also said there was a cavity in another tooth. I adored and trusted her, but it was too expensive and they didn't accept the dental savings plan, only PPO. After the very costly out of pocket initial deep gum cleanings and a filling on another tooth, I changed offices to this one. Dr. Kringel said there was no cavity and the crown was good, no need to replace. That built 100% trust, because I told them what the other dentist said, and they could have gone along with the other dentist's findings and done unneeded work. Some visits, I'm seen right away. Some, it's about a 15-min wait. At my first visit with Dr. Kringel, it was about an hour. I asked about it, and he explained they didn't have a hygienist at the time, and he was doing the cleanings too. Office staff should have relayed that to me while I was sitting in the tx room waiting and waiting. I know clinics also have emergencies that aren't on the schedule, or patients show up late and make everyone run late. In 2024, the Cerec crown with the bad margin (done in 2021 in Mexico) cracked in half. Dr. Winfield showed me how thin the crown was to begin with and due to my occasional jaw clenching when stressed, Cerec crowns were not a good choice for me. She replaced it with zirconium. Four months after, there was intermittent pain with chewing in that tooth with the new crown. I went in for my gum cleaning. She looked at the x-ray and found tooth resorption. Dr. Davis gave a second opinion, and we all discussed a plan. Wait to see if it worsens and pull the tooth at a discount if done within a year of the new crown, or see if it doesn't worsen over time and leave it alone. At other appts, I had seen Dr. Davis talking with patients in the waiting room, and he always seemed so nice, very soft-spoken and gentle. This was my first interaction with him. I thought he was great, so again I'm surprised by the experiences some are having. I am taking off one star for three reasons. (1) This coincides with other reviews. At my first visit after x-rays and seeing Dr. Kringel, the office manager at the time (Jennifer) came in and gave me a major pushy sales pitch. It really turned me off. I declined some things and Dr. Kringel came back in to do what I approved of - disinfectant flush and laser to help the gums heal faster. I wanted the laser with the former dentist clinic, but she didn't offer it. (2) In 9/2024, I had a temporary crown done by the dental assistant to replace the cracked Cerec crown (never had one by a DA before, it was a surprise that they can do them). The gum tissue swelled up and got red, with slight pain. I dug out a bunch of food, as the space between the temp crown and other molar was so big. The swelling went all the way down. At my perm crown appt, a different DA removed the temp crown and a tiny bit of food that was under the temp crown. She left the room. I smelled a bad odor like old food. She returned and looked and found two more globs of food that had been stuck under the temp crown. This should not have happened, it was a poorly fitted temp crown. I reported this to the office manager and provided a photo of the food on the dental tray. Dr. Winfield made absolute certain there was no food left before cementing the perm crown. (3) The receptionists do not smile or act friendly when I approach the counter. I'm sure they are often overwhelmed with phone calls like all clinics get. I am an office coordinator/receptionist with a heavy workload, yet always smile and am friendly to coworkers who approach me needing assistance. Good customer service means hiding from customers/patients that you're frustrated or overwhelmed.

I took my son in for his 6 month appointment today. Now, every single time we have been here we…read morehave had to wait a LONG time after our scheduled appointment time to be seen. The dentist and hygienist today were both very pleasant but the front office staff checking out was TERRIBLE. Extremely rude and condescending. She explained the same response to my question several times as if I didn't understand what she was saying when in reality she either wasn't listening or didn't understand the question I was asking. Nonetheless, she was explaining it to me as if I was a child and she was incredibly annoyed I didn't just say "ok" to her telling me there will now be a change and cost impact to what the dentist and I discussed. I will not be returning here even though my son has been a patient for close to two years now. Too bad you can't give less than 1 star.

Just had a fantastic dental cleaning with Michelle. She made the whole procedure feel easy and…read morequick. The office staff's very nice and attended to me quickly. Thank you, Michelle!

I was seen for a possible root canal. Not till after taking a full. Series of X-rays was I told…read moreI would need an additional 3D X-ray at a cost of $1100 for them to person the procedure. This is not covered by insurance. Be ware of their deceptive and unethical tactics. I already have another appointment with another dentist for a root canal and they told me upfront. The 3-D x-ray would only be 250.

My husband and I haven Been seeing Dr. Babak for years. We…read moreare completely happy with our dental care here. I visit every 6 months for my cleanings and sometimes for a cavity, as needed. Today my small cavity was done with care while being quick. My husband has done Invisalign with Dr. Babak and has been equally happy. From front desk, to hygienist, to the dentist. Everyone is friendly and goes the extra mile to make sure you're comfortable. Thank you!

I've had plenty of dental visits, but this team made a first impression worth writing about. Dr…read more Shahrokh and the whole team were fantastic. Thanks to Tammy, Evelyn, Liz, and especially Lalay for making me feel welcome and comfortable. Five stars, and I still have all my teeth!

Dr. Schmidt and his entire staff were amazing. His wife is actually one of the hygienist there. I…read morelearned this during one of my cleanings with her which if it weren't for her flossing my teeth I would have thought we were friends chatting over margaritas. She even went over what I was doing wrong when brushing and explained how to prevent myself from further messing up my teeth. No other hygienist has ever gone out of their way to explain things to me other than the routine clean and remind me to floss. I really appreciated her extra efforts and knowledge. Just sitting in the waiting room I saw multiple regulars coming in and leaving. Most an older bunch that seemed to use their visit as a social hour as well. You could tell that the staff really enjoy their jobs and enjoy connecting with each customer that comes in. After a horrific experience at a place off mission and el Camino .... I was excited to be referred to this place but was also sad that I had to move out of city and now on my search for a new dentist. I don't know what's worse.... finding a new hair stylist or dentist....

Took my seven-year-old to El Camino Dental Arts, and honestly, it was such a positive experience…read more They were right on time and really efficient, which made things so much easier for both of us. They also send a confirmation text/e-mail a month before and the two days before so you really can't forget. Dr. Schmidt and Theresa, the hygienist, went above and beyond to make my kid feel comfortable.. and even made him enjoy his visit, which as a mom is everything. It's such a relief to find a dental team that genuinely cares. Highly recommend them for any family looking for a kind, stress-free experience.

I recently went in for a deep cleaning, and the experience was top-tier from start to finish…read more The front desk staff made a great first impression; their customer service skills are excellent. They were welcoming, efficient with the paperwork, and handled the scheduling process with a high level of care and clear communication. As for the procedure itself, the Doctor was incredibly professional. They took the time to explain the process thoroughly, ensuring I was comfortable throughout the entire appointment. You can really tell they take pride in their work and prioritize patient comfort. If you're looking for a dental team that is both highly skilled and genuinely helpful, I definitely recommend this office.

I did not have a positive experience at this office and will not be returning…read more During my exam, I did not receive a clear or thorough explanation of my dental health or treatment plan. The visit felt rushed and incomplete, and I left without a full understanding of my condition or next steps. I have had significantly better experiences at other dental offices where communication is clear and care is professional and patient-centered. I also found the follow-up to my feedback to be dismissive and unprofessional, as it placed blame on me rather than addressing the concerns I raised. As someone with dental assisting experience, I am familiar with standard exam procedures and terminology, which made the lack of explanation and communication even more concerning. Clear, patient-centered communication is essential in healthcare, and that standard was not met. I would recommend looking elsewhere if you value thorough explanations and a more patient-focused approach.

I never knew how good it could be coming to the dentist until I started coming here. I think it's…read moresafe to say without exaggeration that Dr. Garcia is the best in the business.. his quality of care, his bedside manner, his staff, his office and the overall gentleness with which he does His work is second to none. I have never been treated with so much kindness and respect and gentleness as I have by Dr. Garcia I will forever be grateful for his quality care. I highly highly recommend him and his entire team.

TO: Yelp I've been a patient at Melrose Dental & Braces for…read moreabout three years, & I want to start by expressing my sincere appreciation for Dr. Garcia and Dr. O'Connor. They are both kind & welcoming. In addition, the assistants I've encountered have made my visits much more comfortable. However, I feel it's important to share some concerns about the office's communication. I've been trying to reach the office for over two months regarding my dental care, especially considering my history with gum disease. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get through, despite leaving multiple messages via phone, email, fax, & US Mail. I understand that managing a busy practice can be challenging, but I am worried about the impact this may have on my Oral health, in addition to my overall health. As we are now very aware, when we experience decline in our Oral health, (at no real fault of my own), our overall health can suffer tremendously. A reminder for my quarterly cleaning appointments, which my insurance covers every three months, would be incredibly helpful. I have recently experienced some pain & discomfort, and I'm concerned that the lack of communication is affecting my ability to be treated! I truly value the care I was receiving from your team & hope this feedback can help improve the experience for both current and future patients, as well as notify you both of these extremely valuable concerns that you might possibly be unaware of. Thank you for taking the time to read my review, and I look forward to your response. Kind regards, C.A.G. June 28, 2025 @ 1:47 PM