I called to check some info for a broken tooth on Friday, the lady was able to set an appointment for me early Monday morning. The staffs were extremely friendly when I walked in and I end up doing the root canal and complete with a crown on the same morning even my insurance only cover half of the cost. Dr Austin and his assistant Meddy were very professional, let me know each step during the process. The equipment they use has the most updated technology. They finished the whole procedure from root canal to the crown about 2 to 2 half hours. This made the pain of root canal less painful after all. I even got a wheelchair ride back to my car because of my leg pain. I will be back for all my dental needs read more

By far the best, most comforting dental office I've been to. The hygienist Monica was so sweet and took the time to get to know me and hear my concerns. She was very gentle and I left with a confident, clean smile. I would highly recommend this office to anyone. read more

Very....very disappointed in the results of my consultation with Dr. Greg McElroy. If you're a denture wearer, don't even bother going to this dentist. He wouldn't even discuss any options on adjusting or fitting my current dentures. If you don't want to pay the 'big bucks' to be fitted for permanent dentures ($6,000.00 to $10,000.00) he won't even work with you. He referred me to another dentist who, he said, specializes in working with dentures. Doctor Gary Krueger in Encinitas, who charged me $175.00 for a 20 minute consultation and he also said he wouldn't even help me with my dentures and went on to tell me that he also only recommended permanent dentures. These dentists must think we're all wealthy people who can afford these procedures and prices. Pathetic....very pathetic!! read more

For the first time in my life, I actually look forward to going to the dentist. Dr. McElroy, Charisse, Dr. Haught Eli, Dannon & the rest of the staff are friendly and professional. They are responsive and trustworthy. When we go in, we feel like part of the family. I would highly recommend him and wouldn't consider going anywhere else for dentistry. read more

I was having issues with my teeth and I was delaying my visit to get help because of my fear or visiting the dentist, but a friend recommended me Dr McElroy's practice and must I say that everyone there made me feel comfortable. Dr. McElroy's practice is so welcoming and professional, he fixed my issue but more than that...now I feel better about visiting the dentist, I got my smile back! I recommend this place, it's totally worth it. read more

I would say from the front desk booking an appointment to the end of my appointment all staff have provided fabulous customer service and enjoy their jobs! Sean and Dr. Austin are great they take time toexplain in detail and make sure your feeling comfortable and confident that they will only do their very best for you! read more

Amazing office and service! The staff is friendly and very much accommodating. As a new patient I felt very comfortable and confident I chose the right place. They have a great system as for as deciding and figuring out what's best for patients needs. The hygienist Dannon that clean my teeth was absolutely amazing. 10/10 will be back again! read more

Dr McElroy makes me feel so good about coming into his office! The environment and staff are so friendly and always make me feel welcome. I cannot express how appreciative I am for all he has done for me and my smile! read more

Excellent office staff. Hygienist was fantastic and so knowledgeable. Dr. McElroy was very thorough and experienced with an outstanding rapport with patients. I will definitely encourage my family and friends to switch to this practice. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. McElroy for about 10 years now. The office is very warm and welcoming. The girls up front and Susan are wonderful to communicate with and the dental hygienists and Dr. McElroy always make your dental visit comfortable. I highly recommend. read more

Humble and Real People. I have contacted over 20 Dentist in the last year. Two had Profecional People I enjoyed talking to. But, they did not have the 3D CT X-Ray I went to three others and walked out so sad. I even tried TJ. Three months and still in pain. I want work done by a DDS with 20+ years schooling. I just got home from my first time at Dr. McElroy's. I saved 600$ to get a very needed extraction and large cavity done. I have no insurance, and still I was treated like a Royal. All Professional truly kind people. Not one put down or even a hint of tone of voice, because I could not get all the work done I need. Just respectful help to figure it out. All written down with cost and priority. The Highest Quality People doing the Highest Quality Work I feel like I just won the Joy Lottery. I already told 5 friends. I return on Monday. Yea! Glory to God for such people. Thank you sincerely, Laureen read more

Two days before Christmas, I broke a tooth. No dentist in my area could see me before the holiday, but I was able to contact Smiles by Design and their staff was able to see me immediately. They are competent and compassionate and even though I was a new patient, did not try to "upsell" me for services beyond what I wanted or needed. read more

I finally got my Invisalign. And I am so happy and I can't wait to see how they look. Susan was so great at helping & guiding me to make the decision. It was so easy. Thank you so much for such a great experience. read more

Dr. McElroy did an awesome job on my wisdom teeth. I healed up super quickly and it wasn't bad at all! He made it easy. Pretty much as good as that situation can get, thanks Dr. Mc Elroy! read more

Best dental experience ever. Everyone is kind, the work is excellent, I love that everything is done in house. Dr McElroy is our favorite!

I cannot recommend Smiles by design. I should have awaken earlier. I got two estimates when I was looking for a dentist. Dr McElroy gave me a quote that was 1/2 the other dentist and said I didn't need that much work. By the time he was finished with me he ended up doing more work and charging me twice the original estimate. I never had the same hygienist twice and I felt like they were always trying to sell me a extra service to jack the bill up. Last time I went in for a cleaning the hygienist starting working on me like a used car salesman. He didn't even do a normal cleaning, no polishing. That was the last straw. I left. I call see every filling in my mouth since Dr McElroy did not take enough time to match the shade of my fillings. The one time I had the other dentist Dr Austin Haught It felt like a construction worker was working on me. He was terrible. read more

Amazing Dentist and office! One of the most important things to me when it comes to finding a dentist is the character of the person and the quality of great work! Dr.McElroy has all the qualities- he is very professional and has a side of humor! He focuses on the treatment that you absolutely need and doesn't try to sell you on work you do not need - which is so valuable and hard to find at most dental offices! Great office, check them out if you haven't! read more

Came in looking to start an Invisalign treatment and was met with a helpful and informative staff! Eli was great in explaining my options and letting me know what to expect going forward. Looking forward to my next visit! read more

My family and I have been patients of Dr. McElroy for the past 8 years. We have yet to receive bad services or practices in any way. He and his staff are amazing with their services, professionalism, work ethic, and concern for all of our patient needs. We have had services by Dr. MacElroy and his staff from regular cleanings to fillings, crowns, root canals, scalings, and wisdom teeth extractions (all 4 at once for our 20 year old son recently, and Dr. McElroy and his staff have worked with our son starting when he was 12 yrs old). Not once have any of us received any imperfect experiences or services for 8 years. And, Dr. McElroy refers us to specialists when he feels the need is required (he did one of my root canals, then referred me to a specialist for another when he felt it was necessary). Not once have we ever felt he or his staff were pushing work on us. His and his staff's goals have always been to provide us with impeccable dental health care pain free, and to meet our needs for the best dental experience. When asked, he will make suggestions if we want additional services, such as teeth whitening, and we have never felt in a position of any kind of "hard sell", or any suggestions whatsoever of unnecessary work -- if it is work that is optional, he tells you so upfront. We highly recommend Dr. McElroy and his staff for all your dental care for all ages, as we trust them implicitly. Patti O'Farrell and Family read more

I have been avoiding going to a dentist for a number of years and when I finally had a dental emergency that needed immediate attention I chose the most convenient option. I work in the same building as Dr. McElroy and the office accepts my insurance. The reviews on the office were excellent and while I have a great deal of anxiety about going to the dentist I was already put somewhat at ease by the reports that this practice catered to my specific needs. I was wholly unprepared for the ease and level of service that I received on my first visit. Everyone from the front desk staff, to the assistant, to the doctor himself were so professional and understanding of my personal needs. The office is beautiful, clean, and inviting and has some of the nicest folks working there that I could ever have hoped for. They have features in place that help even an anxious person like myself find a level of comfort that I have never experienced at another practice in my entire life. The technology and equipment used was top of the line and made the entire experience so much easier and pain free. They quickly diagnosed my issue and set up a convenient appoint to correct the problem. Susan was an absolute gem and talked me through the billing process, offering me payment options that were realistic and tailored to my needs. When I returned for the procedure Dr. Haught took over and treated me with so much kindness and respect, and really made the entire procedure so painless and easy. Susan then walked me through my follow up plan for getting back to a positive place with my dental health without ever trying to upsell or push me to do any procedure that I was uncomfortable with. I love this office and I can't possibly give a higher recommendation. Thank you Smiles by Design, you made a really scary event for me turn into an incredibly positive experience. My friends and family will be coming to see you soon! read more

Been going here forever and have never had an unpleasurable experience. I love everyone that works here and feel basically at home when i'm here. highly recommend!!!!!!! read more

They were able to get me in last minute for a dental emergency! They helped me feel comfortable and were able to decrease my tooth aches. Thank you Dr. McElroy for everything, best dentist office I've been to! read more

I just got my new set of teeth and I am really excited. I was very difficult case and Dr. McElroyDDS made everything right. I am a physicianand I know top quality care when I see it. Dr. McElroyDDS and staff are understanding and attend to a patient's every need. I appreciate the opportunity to work with Dr. McElroyDDS. He just about changed my life with these great new teeth. read more

My family's experiences with Dr. McElroy and Dr. Austin have been exceptional and are certainly enhanced by the state of the art equipment and latest technology. As a dental hygienist, Shaun has proven to be extremely competent, thorough and calming. The office staff is always helpful and met our needs with a smile, read more

Dr. Greg McElroy is by far the best dentist I have ever seen. He genuinely cares for his patients, provides pain-free, speedy, and excellent work. He has a high tech office and in house lab where he makes crowns while you wait. He offers Invisalign, whitening, sleep apnea and dental appliances, and more. I can't say enough about what a great office he runs. I have brought my whole family here, including my kids starting at age 3. He and his staff are great with kids. The best part about Dr. McElroy is the speed and painless way he performs drill work. He doesn't over novacaine your face, he has never hurt me once, he does not waste movement or take out more tooth than he needs to. I really appreciate this skill most of all. read more

I have been a patient for 16 years of Dr. McElroy's and his incredible staff, and cannot say enough about what excellent care, service, professionalism, and their use of the most up-to-date equipment and techniques they use including an extensive amount of continued education that is evident. I also have my 88 year old mother coming to them, and she's delighted being she's had to have a lot of work done and it's been pain free including all the little details to make her comfortable. I highly recommend them for the whole family! read more

Dr. McElroy and his team do an amazing job at keeping their clients happy! In my past history of dental visits at previous offices, I have always felt that my appointment time never mattered and always ended up waiting hours longer than scheduled. The staff here is very courteous and efficient, while always keeping my scheduled time. Dr. McElroy has done services for me varying from teeth cleaning to fillings and teeth whitening, and always does an impeccable job. I would highly recommend this dental office to everyone! read more

Luckily, I found Smiles by Design online when looking for a dentist in my area that provided laser services. I called the office and they were able to bring me in that day. When I first arrived I was greeted by Madison, who was quite warm and welcoming. This put me at ease immediately considering I have an irrational fear of dentists . Once I was full checked in, I met with Sean their hygienist and then the dentist, who were thorough and honest in their explanation of the procedure and what to expect. I am now fully healed and extremely happy with my results. What a fantastic team! I'm looking forward to coming back... something I thought I would never say about going to the dentist. read more

By far the best dentistry practice in Southern California. State of the art facility, very friendly staff, and you can even watch movies while getting your teeth cleaned. 10/10 read more

I agree with AE and would give negative stars if possible! I had the same experience, only I did spent a few thousand dollars there just to have the work that was done fall apart! Instead of standing behind his poor work it was of course to be thousands more to fix these new problems. At that point I had enough and went to a new dentist. Now my dental problems are fixed for a reasonable price, and I get honest evaluations. read more

Read the one star post-- what do we all have in common? I had an emergency root canal over weekend and he was the first doctor that was able to bring me in on Monday . I was new to the area and because the pain I took anybody that would get me in. Dr. McElroy's associate Dr. was the dentist that did the root canal and capping of the tooth . Because I travel greatly it took me over a year to go back for cleaning and a check up . I asked why the tooth was still so very sensitive and the color of the cap DID NOT match . The dentist stated that they only use 8 colors-REALLY-- and it takes time for the sensitivity to calm down . I think they should've told me that before making the cap there. THANK GOD IT WASNT A FRONT TOOTH!! When I continued to complain about the sensitivity weeks later -- Dr. McElroy didn't ask me to come in so HE could evaluate it but instead ---called me on the phone and said "maybe" I should go see another dentist which he referred - intimating that there might be a crack in the tooth underneath . Why didn't they see this in their X-rays??? I felt they just didn't want to deal with me. I waited to do my review because my husband was going to have over. $25k of work done.. every time we walked in --they would try and UP SELL you on everything-- since they are a ONE stop shop . We decided to get a second opinion which was well worth our time and money ! THIS OFFICE IS STRONG ON TELLING YOU - you need deep cleaning because your teeth and gums are in BAD CONDITION !!! At one point they asked my husband to pay before he even had work done- which we declined stating we only pay after work done. Their "office manger" Susan is the one that will come in to try and up sell their service stating the diagnosis (not the Dr) and cost while you are sitting in the chair. I did go to a different dentist but not the one that was referred to me . He found I Had a lot of leftover cement that was not cleaned from underneath the gum . The color is still way off but it's the last tooth in the back so it's not visible as much unless I laugh out loud . Being the owner of this dentistry you would think Dr. McElroy- owner and the main Dentist would want to see you and listen to my issues before he decided to refer me to somebody else . He denied stating that they only had eight colors that they used -- but upon investigation there are 100 different colors THEY just chose to buy "only" buy 8 colors - BIG profits for them shotty work for me . When I question Dr. McElroy -- he denied he only used eight colors ---so why would the other dentist state that ? I Would NEVER refer this dentist to ANYONE. All you have to do is read the yelp one star reviews . read more

I used this dentist since it was close to my where I live. This guy is a big crook. He did about six or seven crowns. I was told by two other dentist that it was not necessary to do it. One of the crowns would keep coming off and I had go back to his office to have cerement it. One the 2nd visit he got upset and got all worked up about not being able to fix it. I changed the dentist and had no problem with the same tooth for the past six years. All he wants to do is make you pay for the crowns. He also has a machine inside his office which produce crappy crowns in an hour. Don't do it. The material he uses is really chip. His dental care is also a rip off. All they want to do is make some weird stories. After changing my dentist. My teeth are in a great shape. This guy is a crook for sure. Avoid at all costs. read more

Dr. McElroy and his team were very caring and complete with my 17 year old daughter's sedation care yesterday. They have been great!

I had a HORRIBLE experience with Dr McElroy. My dentist at the time brought in Dr McElroy to extract one of my wisdom teeth...why, I'm not sure as he is not an oral surgeon. Why couldn't my dentist have done the procedure? I no longer go to my dentist party because of this sketchy collaboration. During the extraction he and his assistant joked the entire time about another of their office employees. He kept mocking her size, being very insulting and calling her "mini me". He was extremely condescending, unprofessional and a bit creepy the way he spoke about this employee. As for the work he performed. Something went very wrong. It was the last of my wisdom teeth to be pulled so I had an idea what to expect. What I didn't expect was for TWO weeks after the extraction to still be in extreme pain, up all night in tears kind of pain. I went back to Dr McElroy to find out what happened. I was told that a nerve must have been damaged during the extraction, take some Tylenol and good luck. He acted a little annoyed by me coming in and I left feeling like he had been paid and was done with me. I am writing this only to help others avoid a creepy experience and possible pain. read more

We have been patients of Dr. McElroy for over ten years, he and his staff are the best and have always taken great care of our family of six! read more

So I'm on a date at a very well to do steak house (I will not name names).. and bam! my front two teeth basically crack in half.. apparently, someone forgot to remove what seemed like a bone from my boneless entree.. needless to say, I was none too pleased. After the awkward departure from my date, I set out to find an emergency dentist because one can not go through life with 1/2 two front teeth. I left a few messages at a couple of places and next morning Daniela from the Smiles By Design office was the first to get back to me. Luckily for me, I stumbled upon an epic office that took my insurance.. SMALL VICTORIES. Dr. Austin took great care of me and had a joke or two to throw in.. it was quite amusing and made time fly. Next thing I know I'm walking out the same day with two new crowns that look EPIC! I do believe I have found my new dentist. I have not had a cleaning in 3 years so I decided to make another appointment for that.. my mother would be so proud. Anyways, if you are looking for a new dentist look no further than smiles by design in Encinitas. read more

Brooke the hygienist is probably my favorite person in the world :) I used to dislike going to the dentist but she actually remembers me and it ends up being fun! read more

Recommended by friends and family! Office staff and assistants are all very pleasant and nice. Dr. McElroy is a very sympathetic dentist. Even my little boys had great visits the other day. Highly recommended :) read more

Dr. McElroy and his staff are the best! After searching the area for a great dentist I came across Smiles by Design. The staff definitely knows what they are doing and were very friendly. I had booked an appointment with Dr. McElroy to get my impacted wisdom tooth removed. The procedure went smoothly and he even gave me headphones to tune out the noise! I will definitely be returning to Smiles by Design! read more

Dr. McElroy is right about one thing--my daughter was 16. I apologize for the typo and stand by every other word.