this man gets no stars. he is rude and condescending. his interest is money and not the well being of his patients. he treated me very poorly and almost yelled at me only because I ended up getting my crowns somewhere else. whether it was pricing, location, or choice alone. this man took it very personal and the next time I saw him he took it out on me. at one point I was afraid. he had his hands in my mouth and was being mean saying rude things. hard pass! avoid at all costs. I would have given him no stars. I had to give him one just to post. read more

I like and respect this dentist a lot. I have gone to him for 15 years and never had any issues with his treatments, even though my teeth and gums have given me nothing but trouble for 40 years before. He holistically worked with me to resolve my issues, including my aging with bad teeth. He's also got state-of-the-art diagnostic and repair tools. Plus I used to HATE going to the dentist because of the shots - no more, because of Dr. Mandel's techniques and knowledge of modern medicine. I'm really impressed and grateful. read more

My tooth hurts more after seeing Ben Mandel. He removed the old filling and put a new filling in it and now it hurts when I chew. It did not hurt when I chewed before he filled it. He rambles on about crowns and how I need a crown. Maybe he is right. However, if he could not reduce the pain, then he should not have done anything. Now I need to carefully chew and chew on the other side of my mouth. I do not recommend this dentist. His staff is nice and he is somewhat jovial. However, my dad thinks he is way too expensive and bent on selling crowns. I regret seeing him and have half a notion to seek damages. He made matters worse. Mandel said he was removing the silver filling, but the silver filling is still there. That was one of my main reasons for letting him remove the old filing and replace it with a composite filling. Apparently, he removed a composite filling and replaced it with a composite filling and left the silver filling next to it. Also, I had to return to get a bite adjustment because it was off. It hurt until I got the bite adjustment, then it was ok for a couple of weeks and now it hurts again. However, like I said before the pain before I saw him was barely noticeable and now it is much worse. read more

In attempting an implant, this dentist did such a terrible job that I ended up having to have sinus surgery. He should have retired years ago. BTW, I still have a hole where the implant should have gone as the whole experience was so traumatizing that I'm afraid to trust an actual oral surgeon to see if the job can be completed. read more

Very satisfied with the outcome. Dr Mandel is one of the very few dentists that actually care about the patient rather than just make money. I went to a different office and i was told i needed lots of work done on my teeth. I followed up by going to two different places (mandel one of them) and was told by both places that my teeth were fine and didn't need an work done. Appreciate the honesty!! read more

I'm saddened by all the negative reviews although I can understand the cause of some of the complaints. I've been going to Dt. Mandel for more than 10 years and he's the best dentist I've ever had. I trust his judgment completely and have never found him or his staff to be pushy about the products or services that they offer. My first visit was to get my "silver" fillings removed which was done very quickly and easily. While I was in the chair and they were at work, I asked when the old fillings would be removed and then learned that they'd already been removed! I was thrilled. In my experience, he's the most health-conscious dentist I've ever had and see no reason to change dentists. If I moved out of state, I'd at least consider coming back to visit to continue using his services. The one complaint that I understand is the nagging for a review, but that's just an irritation that can be easily fixed by asking them to stop sending me those reminders, and that irritation is to me, insignificant compared to the benefit of having a healthy set of teeth and gums. When I get advice from Dr. Mandel, I always listen and try to follow it because he's proven himself to be a reliable source of good information and has earned my respect and my trust. read more

Knowledgeable, reasonable, and never had one issue , his work is guaranteed love coming here

I found Dr. Mandel online and did not know at first that his practice was a Holistic practice. However, when I found out, I was very happy about it. There are very few Holistic practices that insurance covers. I was thrilled with the level of customer service that Dr. Mandel and his staff provided. I felt more like a friend coming for a visit than just another numbered patient. Everyone was smiling and made me feel comfortable and at ease. I am not a big fan of going to the dentist, so this was very comforting. Dr. Mandel was very upfront with me about my treatment options and he seemed genuinely concerned about my health and what I felt I needed and could afford. He even came up with alternative plans that I could afford but did not compromise the integrity of my health. He definitely likes to push certain products in his office, but I believe this is because he truly feels like these items are the best to be had and will improve the dental care of anyone. However, he does not get put off if you say no. The other reason that I will continue to go to Dr. Mandel is his sympathy and understanding. I have an extremely sensitive mouth and have had years of bad dental experiences because most dentists get impatient with me and begin to treat my mouth rougher. Dr. Mandel was very caring in this area and went out of his way to make sure he never hurt me and set up his procedures to make me the most comfortable. For this reason alone, he will always be an A++ dentist in my book. read more

First, I'm not an easy sell: While I like to believe in the innate goodness of mankind, trust is something that must be earned over time and experience. I've been going to Dr Mandel for a little over a year. Before that I had been a victim of "SmileCare", which I would only recommend to my enemies. Besides embodying terrible dentistry, it was a very impersonal, "cattle call" type of operation. I suspect they also own a number of puppy mills in Kansas. At SmileCare, I rarely had the same dentist twice; the office experience was impersonal and inattentive. Over a one year interval I had three "top of the line" crowns for which I paid a high premium because I was assured they would "last longer". One of those had to be redone in it 's entirety after two months because of a critical mistake on the part of the dentist ( who was no longer around). All three of these subsequently fractured between the first and second year I had them. In contrast, Dr. Mandel and his staff are warm, accommodating, competent and clearly passionate about their field to the point of being a "calling" and not just a job. Equipment there is clearly state-of-the-art with digital x-rays, laser cleaning, and a computerized single tooth anesthesia system that avoids any sensation of numbness ( to name just a few). Over the past year, Dr Mandel replaced the three broken crowns and gave me a detailed understanding as to how they were incorrectly done and why each one fractured in the way it did. While he and his staff made recommendations re: a sulcus brush and a hydrofloss, I never felt this to be a "hard sell". (Later I learned that he sells these at his cost--no profit motive-- he just wants to see his patients get the best care. A day after every procedure, without fail, I receive a call from Michelle or one of the other staff members to check for any complications or questions. When I had a little pain two days after a crown, Dr. Mandel came in on a Saturday to attend to the problem which he fixed in about 5 minutes. In summary, a great dentist who is dedicated, sincere and highly skilled. Also, a terrific sttaff. No, he is not the least expensive, but in the end I would have saved a lot of money if I had found him before SmileCare got a hold of me. read more

Honestly felt like that they just wanted my money and the fact that they emailed me 9, NINE times asking for a review was a HUGE turn off, and then the office manager texted me, which is not okay either. Felt like a cash grab office, never had a dental office be so pushy with products and getting reviews. Dr said i needed 5 root canals but according to second and third opinions, they all said that was a crock of sh*t Oh and i found a new dentist and they called this office to get my records and the front reception was extremely rude to my new office. I wasn't intending on leaving a review but after that, they don't deserve any of my respect jerks! read more

For 20 years I went to a dentist on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in San Diego. Basically, I was a patient there because this office took two insurance carriers I had, whereas other offices did not. To tell you the truth, I was not all that satisfied with this particular dentist. It was a large facility with numerous patients coming and going; the staff never remembered my name, let alone hardly ever receiving a greeting upon entering; the office waiting room always was cold; and I grew weary of the large-screen television always showing CNN... Other things happened which I will not delve into here, but suffice it to say I started looking around for another dentist. By chance I heard about Helix Dental Care run by Ben Mandel, D.D.S., in La Mesa. Upon my first visit, I was very impressed with Dr. Mandel, his warm, friendly staff, and the office, which was small and more intimate compared to the office of my last dentist. Whereas in the previous office the dentist hardly spoke two words to me during visits, Dr. Mandel was just the opposite--very friendly, informative, and educational. It was like night and day... Dr. Mandel put me on a "wholistic" program, which I have been following nightly for the past year. This involves "dry brushing," then using a "Sulcabrush" along the gum lines, and then using a Hydrofloss water pik machine. At the end I also still floss. There has been much improvement in my gums, which were not all that great, to say the least... I also had a lot of dental work done by Dr. Mandel. He replaced all of my mercury fillings with composite and also installed a few crowns. His services are not cheap, but I believe that it is worth the extra money to have this work done properly the first time. Another plus is Dr. Mandel has a special hi-tech CEREC milling machine in his office where crowns can be made immediately. Other offices make you wait two weeks for a permanent crown, but at Dr. Mandel's the crown is made in about twenty minutes. To me, this is a HUGE consideration... In closing, I just want to add there are not a lot of wholistic dentists around. I think it is growing, though. Also, many people travel to Tijuana to get work done because it is more inexpensive, but that can be risky. Dr. Mandel told me a few "horror" stories about patients who went there and then ended up coming to him... read more

Shady, pushy and downright wrong...It's been less than 2 years since I gave this guy a lot of money and now all his crappy work is falling apart and about to cost me a ton of cash! This is the pushiest and most unethical dental practice I have ever come across and once I left them they basically continued to harass me for several months with phone calls, emails and even texts....the last appt I had here I had the pleasure of the dental hygienist telling me about her dead chihuahua and the fact that the dogs head was the only thing they found. DO NOT GO HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

1. Once you go holistic, you don't go back! 2. Dr. Mandel was super patient with me about my fear that the painkiller would run out in the middle of the root canal. It's nice to genuinely feel like my doctor's looking out for me. 3. There is no cheap way to do a root canal. Believe me, I checked. Then I vowed to myself to brush after every meal for all eternity. read more

Ive been going to Dr Mandel for about 10 years now and he and his staff do a fantastic job! I have had a few crowns, filling replacements and they are all perfectly done, no issues. I recommend him to alot of friends and family as well! read more

Thank you for the friendly chair-side demeanor. The trashy negative reviews of this business are embarrassing for those who have written them. read more

Doctor Mandel is Knowledgeable, Kind, and very skilled. He spends time with you to explain your situation, and your choices. His staff are also very nice, and professional. He will go the extra mile to avoid a root-canal or tooth extraction. Thank you Dr. Mandel for your excellent services. read more

Dr. Mandel did a wonderful job, I have recieved many complements on my new smile. Thank you Dr. Mandel. read more

I wish to highly commend Dr. Ben Mandel, not just for his supreme compassion - which, in and of itself, is a very rare commodity in the Factory Frenzy & Madness of today's so-called "health care delivery system" - but for his remarkable education and insight. I suffer from some heavy-duty emotional challenges: Intractable OCD, Germ Phobia and PTSD - which have resulted in years of protracted jaw clenching. This occurs regardless of whether I'm asleep or fully conscious! Dr. Mandel candidly but kindly explained that my tooth-clenching history has taken a major toll, especially on my lower jaw (my bottom teeth are the size of a 2-year-old's), and that continued clenching would only cause more erosion, to say nothing of further damage to both lower molars (which were already badly cracked). This, in turn, would lead to the very unfavorable outcome of root canals, which are essentially dead teeth rotting away and leaking bacteria into the gums, blood stream and beyond! Which is absolutely the worst-case scenario for anyone who is halfway desirous of a healthy dental future! I am so impressed with Dr. Mandel's warm generosity and the extra time and energy he devoted to empowering me to make the most educated decision possible. This is a Holistic Dentist and Alternative Health Care Practitioner Extraordinaire. Just as Dr. Elizabeth Kubler Ross was the 20th century sentinel for embracing death and dying with dignity, and Dr. Oliver Sacks was the visionary who broke many barriers and taboos in acknowledging and understanding neurological disorders, Ben Mandel is the New Standard of Enlightenment in Southern California Dental Health! Thank you and God Bless you, Doctor, read more

Can you give negative points? This guy put in six implants to hold a snap on denture for me years ago in Santa Clara County. All six implants failed within 5 years. I spent a fortune close to $15,000 at the time and when I tried to get my money back no one would help me. Oh, he also wasn't a member of the Santa Clara County Dental Society so I'd be very careful before I used his services. No lawyers would take a case again a dentist so don't expect help there as well. He cost me so much bone loss from the implants he placed that I was never able to have them replaced. Several different Prosthodontists told me specifically his placement was what made the implants fail. Also, I agree with the other reviews about the money. His office manager would come in while I had molds in my mouth and try to talk to me about payments. It's all about the money. read more

My family and I were his patients for years. Left him in 2012 and since then every tooth he touched in my family has had to be redone and our current dentist says that the work was never done correctly the first time. Even a simple cavity has now costed $ 1200 due to root canals since he couldn't even do a cavity correct. The insurance company won't cover the new work since it's been less than 5 years. Don't go here as he is dishonest, staff has poor business ethics and you will be paying years later for his horrible dentistry. State Board of Dentistry should revoke his license. read more

Not ethical and as another poster said used car salesman. The dentist tried to sell me all kinds of products and services. He even said I had 4 cavities but as I was pregnant at the time I decided to wait and get a second opinion. That second opinion was over a year later unfortunately but much to my amazement no cavities! Those don't just disappear so I doubt I ever had any. I brought in the paper the Helix dentist gave me telling where the 4 cavities were. The new dentist showed me each tooth on the X-rays and photos and there was nothing. Helix dental is SHADY! Not trust worthy at all...trying to sell a pregnant woman services not needed and if I had agreed giving a pregnant person unneeded drugs NOT ethical at all! Beware... There are much better options in the area, be careful. Oh and they hound you after with texts and calls - annoying car salesmen. read more

On my first visit - I was told I needed to buy there toothbrush, toothpaste, an oral irrigator (water pick) that costs $100, I needed deep gum scaling @ a cost to me after insurance of $700. I didn't like the approach on my first and only visit to the office. read more

Dr. Mendel is the best! He's done a couple extractions on me n he's also done some fillings n repairs. Everything is always so amazing there even I am afraid of dentist usually. I'm always comfortable here n he is so nice n gets everything done painlessly! Even the numbing shots! Love this place n love him! read more

I am sad to only give one star, because they do treat people nicely and have all the latest equipment in a clean, beautiful office. I truly wanted to think the best of them. I was given a strong, urgent recommendation for a deep cleaning for multiple deep pockets in my gums by Dr. Mandel. I was told I had a number of places in my mouth with a measurement of 4mm. It seems 3mm is normal and 4 or 5mm are cause for concern. The cleaning would have cost around $1600. I went to my regular dentist for a second opinion (I'd tried Dr. Mandel hoping to cut down on the drive). My regular dentist (who by the way has glowing yelp reviews) checked my gums very carefully and said I absolutely didn't need a deep cleaning. He said, "I can get 3.5mm in two places if I push really hard." My dentist told me there was no swelling, no deep pockets, no indication that I had any gum issues. He said, "I really don't know what they'd do in a deep cleaning on you besides numb your mouth." He also told me "there's no way they can justify this to the insurance. Incidentally, Dr. Mandel doesn't take most insurance. I don't know if Dr. Mandel is just extremely conservative, recommending expensive dental care long before something becomes an issue or outright dishonest. I went in with no issue- no pain or discomfort, just looking for a regular check up and cleaning. read more

Let me first say that I Hate Going to the Dentist (Who doesn't?) If you like going to the Dentist, you're weird. Well, after seeing Dr. Mandel, you can call me weird, because I actually Like going to the Dentist. I'll put it this way, I drive 3+hrs. from out of town to see Dr. Mandel, because when it comes to my mouth, he's worth the time and effort to get things done right and in a painless manner. Whether it's a basic cleaning to cosmetic dentistry, the Doc has been doing it right and at a fair price for a long time. If anyone posts a Negative Review on here, it's because they either: A) Haven't actually been here, and smearing the name of a great Dentist Or... B) Just rate everything bad on Yelp because it wasn't free. Those people are ruining Yelp and deserve 100 root canals without gas. I encourage New Patients, Older Patients, anyone looking for a reliable, trustworthy and elite Dentist, go to Dr. Mandel. Again, stop wasting time looking up Dentists, and make your appointment NOW! read more

Dr. Mendel and his staff are excellent practitioners. He provides quality care and shows an obvious interest in your well being. I strongly recommend his practice. read more

Dr. Mandell knows his stuff and explains what he is going to do in detail. He makes himself available at any time if needed. He always checks up on his patients to make sure they are ok. read more

Great service and technique. I got my night guard and they did a good job- I couldn't remember what they said on care/maintenance for it so it would be better if they gave me a written handout to care for it. read more

I highly recommend to going to Dr. Mandel's office. You get what you pay for-- high quality dental care. I LOVE going in for routine teeth cleanings. I've been coming since I was a kid, and my family has been seeing Dr. Mandel before I was even born. I never understood why people hated or were afraid to go to the dentist. It has always been a pleasant experience for me since I've been going to Dr. Mandel. You think you care about your own teeth... then you meet this person. He cares about your teeth and overall health more than you do! :p I'm grateful for his service. read more

I travel a great distance to see Dr. Mandel and his awesome hygienist, Gloria. Truly this is a team of dental professionals who cares about your appearance, your health and ....believe it or not....your wallet. You get the highest quality care at an affordable price. The dental team is so personable. They really listen to your concerns and make me feel so confident, relaxed and good about my oral health plan. What you put in your mouth and dental choices directly affect your oral and overall health. This is just too serious to leave in the hands of just "any" dentist. Dr. Mandel truly appreciates the oral health/overall health connection and is always one step ahead to help prevent minor problems from becoming serious ones. That's a money-saving approach to be sure, though I know the average dental patient doesn't see it that way. When his preventive approach avoids decay, gum disease, root canals and serious infection....and you avoid tooth loss, sickness, surgery and hospitalization from the complications of ignoring your dental health...I consider that BIG savings. I can say that because unfortunately I had a string of bad dentists before coming to Dr. Mandel...and let's just say....I'm saving thousands of dollars, tons of headaches and have a better quality of life because I'm under the care of a competent, highly-skilled and open-minded dentist. That's not an understatement! Smiling with confidence, comfortably eating the foods I want to eat and keeping my mouth disease-free ... all enhance the quality of my life! As a person that HATES going to the dentist, these folks read more

I've seen a lot of Dentist in my time and Dr. Mandel is the best dentist I have come across. He is very knowledgeable, patient, communicates very well, and obtains a high integrity standard. The whole establishment is very inviting and comfortable, which is extremely important for many people with anxiety when it come to dental work. The staff is very nice and on top of things. They also have state of the art dental equipment including digital x-rays, and a machine that will create your crown right before your eyes. Dr. Mandel stands by the quality of his work. I particularly recommend Dr. Mandel if you are a Veteran with VA Dental care. Sometimes it can be hard to get work approved with the VA, but Dr. Mandel has history as a VA dentist and knows what to show and explain to the VA to get approval. I highly recommend Dr. Mandel as your holistic dentist! read more

He has been caring for our family for 5 years and he is awesome. Very little pain, works great w our dental insurance so its affordable and we look forward to the dentist. Love him and his staff. read more

Used to be a patient at this office switched because of the rude women in front. Had a family emergency and had to cancel my appt they gave me such a hard time. (If only we could predict family emergencies) also the dr doesn't care how much pain your in. then at my new office they did X-rays and turns out dr Mendel left a piece of my tooth in that he "pulled". Don't go here. read more

My husband and I both went to him, were told we had to have two crowns each, at a horrific cost, only to have them done and all four of them later fell out and we had to have them all redone by another dentist, read more

I came to Dr. Mandell because I was looking for a holistic dentist. He has been fabulous with my children and myself. I very much appreciate that he doesn't use the basic Mercury fillings that other dentists call "silver". Not all patients care about the type of products a dentist uses. If you want a holistic dentist that won't put toxic mercury in your mouth, Dr. Mandell is fantastic. read more

My family and I have been working with Dr. Mandel for several years now. We continue to go back due to the quality of care and connection we have formed with him. He provides top notch service at a reasonable price. He has always made it a priority to help us out in any way possible. read more

Dr. Mandel and his staff are the best! Dr. Mandel is extremely knowledgeable and competent. I have been his patient for almost 10 years and I have been completely satisfied with every procedure that he has done on my teeth. The staff is always cheerful and fun to talk to. I am definitely a happy patient and would not go to anyone else. read more

This guy is all about the money. I foolishly went for the discounted price for cleaning, & was provided with over $3000 worth of work I'd "need" to have done. I "Needed" to have deep cleaning, in spite of having my teeth cleaned consistently for years every 6 months by another dentist.( I moved, so needed to find a new dentist) I had to go back a second time just to get the cleaning, & the dental assistant was filling in for someone. Very unprofessional staff, coming in during my visit to ask about office supplies. There was never any questions asked about my insurance to be able to pay for all these "needed" services. I have none, & would have to take out a loan to cover his charges. I now go to Mexico for all my dental care--very professional care at a fraction of the cost for cleaning, etc. I don't have any dental issues, altho Dr. Mandel wanted me to think so. I pity the poor folks that have been scammed by him. To add insult to injury, I continue to get flyers from his office in the mail, in spite of contacting them at least 3 times to be removed from their mailing list. GGRRRRrrrr. Don't bite here---you'll go bankrupt!! read more

I would not go back unless I wanted to pay too much for dental care. You can find good service somewhere else - he seems sincere and maybe he is but finds things wrong that don't exist and costs too much. Doesn't share x-rays with other dentists for 2nd opinions, even though they're digital. So disappointing... read more

My husband and I were completely happy with our previous dentist, but because of insurance changes, we needed a new dentist who was under our new policy. We are both so glad we were required to make the switch. Dr. Mandel and his staff is superior to any previous experiences we have encountered. I went the previous day and came home excited citing the difference like moving up from a Ford to a Cadillac. My husband was skeptical but discovered my analogy was correct. The exam, cleaning, and explanation of dental health and needs was the most thorough either of us has ever had. This was truly a 5 star experience. read more