This place has been very difficult to work with post my daughters surgery. She was seen on March…read more17th for treatment including 2 "nu-smile" teeth. I went here instead of her regular dentist so she could be put under. I will say the dental staff was great and procedure smooth and quick. However the office staff has not been helpful. I paid $500 on the day of the visit for the "nu-smile" teeth and they told me they would bill my insurance (which in my policy clearly states they are covered at 100%). They told me they would confirm with my insurance and refund me once my insurance pays them. That it should take about a month. End of March, I get my explanation of benefits stating my insurance paid them, I say okay I should get my money back and get a call. Nope. When I call they act confused as to what I am talking about. The people I need to talk too (insurance and billing) always seem to be busy, or on lunch, so I get messages relayed through the secretary which makes communication difficult. I call my insurance who states the check was cashed by them in March 29th, yet this provider can't seem to "find it" even after I give them the check number via my insurance. They say it sometimes takes a couple weeks to process and to give it a couple weeks. Fast forward to April 21st, still no call back from them and no update when I call them except, the check from insurance is still pending (Really?!). I call May 11th, there response is still the check to me will be written soon and they will call me when it is sent out. I am hoping this will get their attention because this is insurance fraud as far as I am concerned as both me and my insurance has paid them. My next step is filing a grievance to get my money back. It has been 3 MONTHS. I will update this review when/if I get my money back.

My son has had a few bad experiences at the dentist. Central California Dental Surgicenter was…read moreawesome! They make sure he felt safe and they did a really good job taking care of his dental needs while he was sedated. My son liked the bubble gum scent of the anesthesia. They let him pick out a movie to watch. My only small complaint was the wait time. They said because it was so close to Christmas, that was their busiest time of year. They were trying to accommodate as many patients as they could. They told me that even if my insurance wouldn't cover it, they do not bill the parents of patients. They kept their word too. I couldn't have been more pleased.

I was able to get in super last minute and after not receiving dental care for a few years, was…read morevery nervous. From the moment I walked in, I immediately felt at ease. I was called back very quickly and was in and out within an hour and a half. The Dr was to the point and precise, the ladies in the front were also very attentive and kind. Would definitely recommend!

Don't come here!! They said I had to pay a portion out of pocket for wisdom removal, I called my…read moreinsurance and they said everything was covered. Michelle was always rude to me. She never got back to me and when I finally did all she said was "there's nothing we could do" I talked to the bigger girl I think she's manager and has no knowledge. she kept going back and fourth with other girls and never gave me an answer.

I was extremely impressed with this pediatric dentist office! The people at the reception are very…read morekind and friendly. The lobby actually has a pac-man arcade game and also a PS5 console, which made my 8 year old daughter's first experience with this office visit start off happy and excited. Dr. Moran is very nice and took a lot of time to explain in detail what procedures she recommended and what was going on with my daughter's dental health. My daughter is on the spectrum and was scared at a previous dentist to the point she refused to even lie back in the chair, but was at ease with this dentist, and Dr. Moran and her staff made her feel comfortable. She had no issues following their directives and was not afraid and had no issues with her first tooth cleaning. At the end of the visit she got to pick out some little toys and stickers which made her happy too. Hopefully future visits continue the same way!

I feel compelled to come forward due to a recent podcast I listened to about cutting babies tongue,…read morealso known as Frenectomy. My husband and I took our daughter just after she turned 1 in May of 2022. Almost instantly the Dr. suggested cutting my daughters tongue- giving multiple reasons of the benefits. We highly considered it, but wanted to do some research and get a second opinion. I am glad we did. The next Dr. suggested against it and I am so glad we went with our gut instincts. My daughter is now almost 3 and not having any speech issues like the original Dr. suggested she would have. My point is to not criticize the Dr. but to keep in mind that dentistry is a business and to always get a second opinion. If you haven't already, listen to the podcast from The Daily- "The Booming Business of Cutting Babies' Tongues" Episode dated: Feb. 24, 2024. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-booming-business-of-cutting-babies-tongues/id1200361736?i=1000645852980 In my opinion, always get a second opinion.

The dentist and the staff here are remarkable. The office is always clean and vibrate…read more Upon entry, guardians will notice The "Under the Sea" decor helps create a fun and exciting atmosphere for everyone. There are video games in the lobby for the kiddos and a television usually playing something interesting. My children loved attending here and always enjoyed their experiences. Sadly, we moved to another state and have missed this place greatly! As a mom, it's been challenging finding any dental care that exceeds my expectations like First Step Dental did. I recommend FSD to every mother who wants peace of mind and the care and professionalism of this group.

Nothing but professionals. I have been taking my children here for over ten years and have zero…read morecomplaints.

Don't go here. The Doctors will forget about you and have you waiting in the room with your small…read morechild for over an hour and a half.

My daughters dentist referred us here. it was super easy to make an appt and front staff was pretty…read morefast and nice. The only things I did not like and why I will never come back here is because they do not let parents to go back to be with your child while they get put to sleep. I did not know that until I was already in the back. the back office assistant did not make me aware of it. I just don't understand why we can't be with our child especially at times like that. I get it they not want the children to scream more and make it more difficult but imagine being a child and not having his/ hers parent holding their hands and them making them feel safe. i will not refer anyone to this office due to that

Do not go get your braces here they never have appointments and the dentist that does the braces is…read moreonly there 4 times a month and they only see you every 2 months horrible experience wish I was not in a contract because I would take my money elsewhere

They cauncil you when you arrive even if you have allready text confirmed by text msg, and some…read morenurses are kind and do everthing ruching kids Disapointed

We've been bringing our kids here for almost five years, and we've had nothing but wonderful…read moreexperiences. The entire staff is always so friendly, welcoming, and attentive, and they do a great job making my kids feel comfortable during their visits. One thing that has always stood out to me is how thorough they are. At our very first appointment, Dr. Kaur noticed my child's lip tie and brought it to our attention. We were able to get it corrected early because of their keen eye, and I'm so grateful they caught something that could have easily been missed. Which it was missed at another dental office. It's clear they genuinely care about their patients and take the time to provide excellent care. I highly recommend this office to any parent looking for a pediatric dentist. We absolutely love this place!

Great experience! The staff is super friendly and patient with kids. Both of my children felt…read morecomfortable, and the dentist was gentle and caring. Clean office, quick visit, and happy kids. Highly recommend.

I received good care from the dentists here, but I found their business side predatory and…read moredishonest. I showed up for a routine cleaning to find that they no longer accepted Delta Insurance (they did not inform me of this change ahead of time). I chose to cancel my appointment and my wife's, which was scheduled soon after. The business manager met with me, and said that because they hoped to keep us as customers (and hoped to resume taking Delta by our next appointments), they would waive the charge for both my appointment and wife's if we did not cancel them. All went well until they were unable to resume taking Delta, and we had to change to another dentist (which provided superior care AND covered 100% of our dental expenses under Delta). Then, we suddenly began receiving bills for the appointments the business manager had waived. It seems that if they couldn't get us to pay cash for future appointments, rather than use our insurance (a cost of well over $1000 a year just for cleanings and exams), then they were going to do their best to squeeze what they could out of us, and were not going to let ethics or integrity get in the the way of a little money. I've talked to them on the phone, in person, and written to them. At first, they confirmed that the cost should have been waived. But they just keep sending bills for the amount they previously waived. I don't even know if that office manager still works there, and there's likely no one who now remembers a conversation from that long ago. It's a pain to deal with them constantly trying to collect less than $300 they are not owed. I think it's been two years of harassment from them. But they did me a favor too, and I hope it's one for you too if you're looking for a dentist in Merced. There are so many dishonest dentists preying on patients. I thought I'd found an honest one in El Portal. As stressful as this is, it likely saved me far more money in the long run by forcing me to leave them before getting taking advantage of by their unscrupulous business practices. Steer clear! I know it can be hard to find a new dentist in Merced, but don't settle for a practice you can't trust. Update: June 2026 I was contacted again by this business. They confirmed that I did not owe the approximately $300 they keep sending me invoices for. However, they instead claimed that I received a check from Delta Dental for about $90 several years ago, which they believed they were entitled to. They confirmed that they would continue (knowingly) sending me bills for the larger amount, but that if I paid what they believed I would actually owed, they would stop. I still have not received an invoice or any written documentation for what they now say I owe, and there's no way I'm just going to send them a check based on a voicemail and hope everything works out. This was followed up by a later voicemail threatening to "send me to debt collections," but they did not specify whether they would be trying to send to collections for the less than $300 they are (knowingly) falsely invoicing me for or the $90 they now claim I owe. I've requested that they send an invoice and documentation for what they actually believe I owe, while alerting them to my concerns that their continuing to send false invoices appears to be criminal. The saga continues. Again, avoid this business!

Love the dentists and hygienist. Major concern for the front staff who handles billing. I had…read moremaxed out on my insurance benefits and was never informed that my cleaning would cost $250 out of pocket. I arrived to my appointment with a surprise bill vs. canceling and "donating" $50 for a late cancelation. I clearly would have canceled my appointment if i was made aware of the cost. The woman in charge of billing decided to argue with me, claiming that she informed me last time but never did. I received a bad attitude and no apology. I decided to pay $150 for some flossing rather than wasting $50. You should inform your staff to do their job and notify clients of upfront costs so we can make an informed decision. And a little customer service would go a long way. I advise anyone who goes here to ask repeatedly about future appointment costs since staff delivers unreliable communication.

I like this place. One of the few medical offices in Merced where everyone that I have had contact…read morewith seems to care about their job, and knows what they are doing. Dr. Miller did the work, replaced a crown and took care of a couple of broken teeth. Completely painless. His assistants are great, they know what to do and when to do it. I would recommend Dr. Miller and his staff.

I got fillings done in their office in December of 2022. Now, it is August of 2024. And, my front…read moreteeth, filled by Dr. Skinner, still hurt until NOW, even after RCTs! Over one year and a half! My new dentist told me that the pain will very likely persists for years and nothing can be done at this point. Dr. skinner told me that I am sensitive to fillings. He tried to explain that different teeth respond differently to dental work at different ages, because my another dental filling done many years ago never sensitive. But, I recently got fillings done in China and NONE of them are sensitive and painful. ALL the fillings done here were sensitive and painful! So, it is HIS fillings that are sensitive and painful but NOT I am sensitive to dental work! After his fillings, I have seen a couple dentists for pain and even flied 18 hours to the other side of the world to seek solutions. Jesus, nobody can stay calm with such annoying pain and sensitivity for over one year and a half, very likely two, three or more years. Well, I will definitely give them zero if can.