I just want to put in an unconditionally good word for Dr. Lu, who I've been seeing for over a decade now.
After I received a cursory exam from another dentist and was told that I needed three fillings replaced with crowns, and "possible root canal on all three," my boss recommended I see his dentist, Dr. Lu. He said Dr. Lu put a strong emphasis on preventive care and preferred watchful waiting over radical interventions--which sounded a whole lot better to me than the $6,000 estimate I'd gotten from the other guy! (And $6,000 was JUST the amount not covered by my insurance, by the way. I was basically being asked to put a nice used car's worth of money in my mouth, chew it up, and swallow it.)
Feeling awfully suspicious of LA dentists at this point, I didn't mention the previous diagnosis when I went in for my first visit. Whereas the other guy let technicians do all the X-rays and intake evaluations, and just came in at the end to peer into my mouth for less than a minute, Dr. Lu was actively involved from the second I sat down in the chair. He did a full set of X-rays, and the most thorough soft-tissue exam I've ever gotten from a dentist--he looked for anything abnormal or worrisome on my tongue, lips, gums, cheeks, and jaw. Wow, did I feel better cared for already! He took the time to point out some of the unique features of my teeth and previous crown and filling work that would have an impact on daily cleaning and care, and gave full and thoughtful answers to all my questions.
I had one big filling, he said, that was cracked, with some decay underneath it, and the remaining tooth structure was too weak to replace it with a bigger filling, so I'd need a crown on that, but he didn't recommend anything else. When I asked, "So....do I need a root canal on that tooth?" Dr. Lu looked surprised and said, "No, not at all. Why? Are you in pain? Does that tooth hurt?" I can't tell you what feeling was stronger at that point: My relief and joy at having found a truly good dentist, or my outrage that the other guy I'd seen would be so unscrupulous as to suggest not one but THREE unnecessary--and very painful, and very expensive--dental procedures!
Since that day, I've seen Dr. Lu regularly, even working in the occasional visits to him when I was been living in another state and came to LA for work trips. I've referred over a dozen people to him now, and every single one has stuck with him and started referring THEIR friends, too! He's really great, and I can't recommend him highly enough. Once you go Lu, your search for a good dentist is through!!
P.S. I got my other X-rays back, along with a written estimate from the other dentist, and filed a complaint against him with the state dental board. I am happy to say that he is no longer practicing in LA. read more