Amazing! Dazzling! Unforgettable!…read more
No I'm not talking about me and my smile (which would be correct as well). I'm actually referring to one of the best dental visits I've ever had at Homestead Dental with my new dentist, Dr. Kim.
Two years ago, I was looking for a new dentist after moving to the northeast side. Combing through the provider directory, I saw Dr. Kim's name. Since I couldn't find any reviews on Yelp and only one via Internet search, I wasn't comfortable with setting up an appointment; I ended up switching to a PPO in order to see a well known dentist in Houston that had wonderful reviews online, but my experiences were not stellar--especially for the costs. Consequently, I was ready to switch dentist again, but who???? Looking at the HMO provider list only gave me a bunch of revolving door chain dental businesses such as Castle Dental. I grew up in a small town where I had the same dentist until I moved away; being subjected to a revolving door of various individuals in my mouth was not an option. Coincidentally, a casual chat with a coworker about various topics such as a new dentist lead to her handing me her husband's business card, which happened to be for Homestead Dental! Luckily Homestead Dental is not only a covered provider with my insurance, it's down the street from where I live. Private providers are hard to come by these days, so I figured I might as well give HD a try.
Fast forward to June 2014 and I finally made time to make an appointment. Before doing so, I decided to do some more searching for reviews. Discovered that the business is transitioning into a new name called Red Bird Dental http://rbfdental.com/ Website even provided an option to request an appointment online. Cool. Since I was doing most of this researching at night, I figured I would setup the online appointment and see how fast the turnaround call for the appointment would take. Result: I received a call back the same day--less than 24 hours. I proceeded by calling back and setting the appointment, which was pretty much available anytime and day I desired.
Parking is behind the building and is rough--beware. Secondly, it may seem as though there isn't an office here because the atrium area is quite bare and the other suites in the building are vacant, but once you enter HD, it looks and feels like an office. The fish tank by the desk really electrifies the office as well. The staff is courteous and professional and processed everything quickly and efficiently. I arrived before my appointment, and did wait a little bit, but come on--who has ever went to a doctor's office and was seen at their appointment time? Not me. I think I may have been waiting 10 minutes after my appointment when one of the receptionist inquired about my wait (I believe that they thought I was still filling out paperwork). Since I was finished, they started my appointment right away--well after they took my picture (didn't ask why, but I'm sure it's connected to financial responsibilities).One thing that I REALLY enjoyed about my appointment is that they didn't have me playing the "WAIT GAME" you know--waiting in the lobby, then "let's get your vitals and info," then waiting some more. Begin the xrays, then wait AGAIN. After that, you're cleaning begins, but WAIT--the hygienist went to lunch (yeah that actually happened at my last dentist). At HD/RBD, my hygienist Norma really took her time and made sure she did everything efficiently as possible. Only thing that slowed down the exam was the bitewings, which have to be positioned then taken manually by the hygienist. I've had two people do a bitewing exam manually and it took almost an hour to create decent xrays, but Norma really knows what she is doing and finished my xrays in 20 minutes tops. I was then led to the Bruce Lee room--YES you read right! The entire exam room pays homage to Bruce Lee with posters and action figures. It definitely makes the appointment interesting and gives your eye something to peruse while having your cleaning done.
Unfortunately (but not surprising) I have some cavities. After a through cleaning my Norma, Dr. Kim came in to review my exam. I have a multitude of cavities, but Dr. Kim showed and explained each cavity. As a self proclaimed "proactive dentist," he prescribed me a special toothpaste to prevent new cavities and hopefully slow down the decay of my current cavities. He did some other screenings as well to get a through examination of my dental health, which was superb and explained some features of my teeth that I thought were a bad thing, but were actually a positives. It was more than a cleaning--it was a learning opportunity that was discussed with my doctor with a jovial and cordial manner. Not only did I walk away with a brighter smile, I walked away equipped with knowledge and tools to keep my teeth healthier.
If you're in need of a new dentist, I would highly suggest coming to HD/RBD to make your smile sparkle and shine.
