Before I start, let me say that my treatment at Coastal Smiles Dentistry is absolutely the most…read morepositive and rewarding experience as a patient in my 45 years on this world. I had the worst looking teeth before hand. Now I have a beautiful smile. People in grocery stores compliment my teeth often. He exceeded not only my expectations, he surpassed my hopes. This is as close to dental perfection as it gets.
1. I have always been afraid of the Dentist's chair. Dr. Li absolutely destroyed my Dental-phobia with his amazingly calm, compassionate and kind demeanor. I'm not afraid anymore and I look forward to my visits because of the way I am treated.
2. I had a full set of titanium implants, because I just didn't take care of my teeth. But I never once was shamed for that. Instead, I was educated. He included me whenever possible. We devised a process (I say 'we' because Dr. Li works WITH patients. Making patients a part of the team gives us agency, and there is very authentic unity) and Dr. Li was very clear about what I could expect. For me, the process took longer, because I had an overbite. Many other Dentists might have just taken the quick way, but Dr. Li is so gifted, so talented and passionate about his profession that he invested a great deal of time to get my occlusion (that's the science of how the top and bottom teeth fit together) corrected. This choice prevented damage to my TMJ, and the process was custom-tailored to my needs. I was not really hopeful at first. That very quickly changed. Fifteen seconds into our first meeting, in fact.
3. I'm an Industrial Designer. Because of this, I can tell you that the Coastal Smiles instrumentation and technology is absolutely state of the art. This is important, because recent developments have made it possible to increase precision and make the patient's experience more comfortable.
4. Dr. Li is a wonderful dentist and a good human being. Titanium implants are a life-changing investment, and the dentist and his team made the best choices. The entire process was built around my best interests, to achieve the best outcome, and Dr. Li was very patient and kind in answering my questions. At one point, I was feeling like I was being annoying by asking about everything because I'm just an overthinking, sometimes easily made anxious person. But I told him honestly that I was fascinated by the art and science of dentistry and my questions were from a place of wanting to learn, a place of intellectual interest, and not because I doubted his clinical acumen or abilities. He immediately lit up with the kind of passion for his calling that every patient would hope to see. He is quite simply the finest dental surgeon I have ever encountered, and he answered all of my questions with kindness and interest. He never talked down to me. He earned my trust very early on, and his integrity and commitment are unimpeachable.
5. I got so much more out of this experience than I ever expected. Dr. Li and I developed a friendship based on mutual respect and, while he is clearly the professional here, we were and always will be in sort of surgeon-patient partnership. This is good, because it motivates patients to do our part in maintaining our health. I not only got a great dentist and beautiful new smile out of this, I made a new friend!
6. His staff are absolutely the best in the business. I was greeted with kindness and hugs, every time. We all know one another by name, and we have all become friends. That's a rare and beautiful thing.
7. Dr. Li made it a priority to monitor and manage any potential pain. Other than the injections of the anesthetic, there was no pain during any procedure. There are televisions mounted on the ceiling in case a patient could benefit from having something to take their mind off of the work being done, but I was fascinated by everything. Dr. Li's skill made me so interested in what he was doing. His skill and his technique are unsurpassed, and the materials are top-of-the-line. In short, he made certain to deliver the best care possible, and constantly checked to make sure I was appropriately anesthetized.
8. The team is very organized, kind, and capable. I would arrive at an appointment and over the course of two plus years, I NEVER HAD TO WAIT MORE THAN 5 MINUTES TO BE TAKEN BACK AND SEEN.
9. Dr. Li has a system set up for out-of-office-hours emergencies, and returns calls within minutes.
You won't find a better, more committed dental surgeon anywhere than in Dr. Collin Li. They have two locations. One on Carolina Beach, and one in front of Best Buy. This is so convenient. It's also nice that his office is next door to Starbucks and a wonderful cookie and pie bakery!
