This practice has refused to provide care in an emergency unless paid in full upfront. When asked if this policy applied to other patients with the same insurance coverage, the answer was "no". I find this discriminatory and unethical for a dentist to deny care to a patient in pain. Also, this practice overcharges by telling patients your account will be adjusted when insurance pays the dentist. Well, how many of us have gone back to ask for it or cross reference it with the insurance company? Yes, we're too busy to remember and this practice is too smart to take advantage of it!! Would it be nice to have trustworthy professionals who consider you a patient instead of just $$ sign?? read more

Super clean -- top technology -- nice staff. New to the area and just looking on Yelp and came across him. They give you all the info about extra bells and whistles -- but absolutely no pressure to do anything (like invisilighn, whitening, etc.). They always check my insurance for me and let me decide how I want to proceed. The technology is the most amazing I've seen in dental office. read more

I was recently at Dr. McElroy's office in Encinitas called Smiles by Design and the entire process was beyond my expectations. As soon as I walked in the door I was greeted by Victoria at the front desk and then received a tour of the office. Due to my fear of dental work I was timid at first, however, I quickly felt comfortable because how friendly and professional the staff was. I will be returning in a few months for a check up and for the first time in my life I am excited to go to my dentist. McElroy Smiles By Design's team is the best in town! read more

Updating this review b/c I had the sapphire whitening done by Jenna (who is fabulous) just last week. Never had my teeth professionally whitened before but can definitely recommend this procedure at this office (& ask for Jenna)! She explained everything & checked on me several times, you have to sit for an hour. - Bring your iphone/ipad, etc... I watched the 1st bit of a movie and the hour flew by... When I saw my teeth, I was completely shocked. I had no idea they would turn out so great. I mean, really, so much better & totally natural looking. I felt like my whole face changed, it was really amazing. !00% recommend. Again. =) read more

The staff is so friendly; I've never encountered friendlier employees. The decor in this place is amazing and a very calming environment to be in. I love the view out the big window while the doctor was doing my dental treatment. I had no fear and couldn't be happier! read more

Wonderful experience with Dr. McElroy and his team! Painless from the moment I walked in the door until I left. I would highly recommend Smiles By Design to anyone looking for a great dentist! read more

By far the best dentist I've found. The staff is super friendly, polite, and always welcoming. Doc Mac is fantastic.

Yay! I can chew on my right side again! Thank you Dr. Mac and his great staff. State of the art equipment . Very comfortable and painless.

Today was my first appointment with Dr. McElroy and I couldn't have been more satisfied. I waited for a very reasonable amount of time and once they brought me back I was given a thoughtful tour of the office. I immediately met numerous members of the staff and then began my exam. Dr. McElroy was very precise with his diagnosis and I felt that I could definitely trust him to carry out my procedure. Therefore I let him begin and needless to say, the entire treatment was painless and as comfortable as possible. I would recommend Dr. McElroy and the Smiles by Design team to anyone. Their name says it all! read more

Amazing dentist and office. Kind and helpful staff are able to get you in quickly. Very modern office. Best cleaning I've ever had! I'm very happy with this dentist and will be sticking with this one. read more

Went to Dr. McElroy's dental office and had a great experience. Staff was very professional and had good customer service. Dr. McElroy did a great job. Couldn't be happier. I recommend his dental office to everyone. read more

Why take some of the most valuable possessions your teeth to any one else .You deserve the BEST in Dentistry Dr McElroy and staff are fantastic .I have have tried other dentist ,but nothing comes to the superior dentistry that you will find here.Your family deserves the BEST. read more

Dr. Mac is seriously the best!!! I have not had any dental work done in about 15 years so needless to say, I was HIGHLY anxious and nervous about getting my teeth worked on. I needed a root canal, crown and filling done. He is so gentle, kind and I really felt that he genuinely cares about his patients. He worked fast, explained everything along the way and made me feel so comfortable. His staff are all so friendly and helpful. I now have no worries about the rest of the work I need done. I know I'm in great hands. read more

Everything I expected in a professional and personalized visit was met at my first appointment. The entire staff was courteous, professional and personable and made me feel comfortable and at ease. I am very happy that I made the decision to find a new dentist who will meet my needs and provide me with the best possible care read more

What a great experience! So happy to find Smiles By Design dental office. Dr. McElroy has been awesome and helped me with all my dental needs. I recommend their COR whitening product. It's awesome and works so well. My teeth have never looked better. I recommend this office to everyone read more

Great dentist with great hygienists that really clean your teeth well. They made my coffee stains disappear!

Excellent staff! They are all professional and friendly. I don't have many dental issues.... yet (but I hope to be able return to this office when I do), but thank you for making my dental experience very easy-going! read more

The dentist I saw twice (cleaning and crown placement- Dr Reppas) was wonderful. I do feel that his diagnoses were accurate and his bedside manner was great. Unfortunately, I was unable to stay with him due to the absurd prices and terrible management. The estimates for the dental work I needed (more crowns, wisdom teeth removal, deep cleaning, filling, etc) seemed really high to me. Checked with my insurance and was told that prices were higher than my plan allows. Went back and forth with billing and got many excuses. My concern was heightened when the office manager told me I had "terrible insurance"- I had a root canal prior to coming here and was charged precisely what insurance said I was responsible for without problems. I thought my insurance was great. Additionally, I now have a new dentist and have had a deep cleaning and more crowns and absolutely zero billing issues. My new dentist is great and all the work I've had/ am having done this summer is costing 65% less than I was quoted by Smiles by Design. Yes- 65% less. read more

I've been going to Dr. McElroy since 2008. His office has always taken good care of me. He took care of my front tooth that I broke as a kid and was filled by another dentist. As this was a tough place for a filling it kept falling out. Dr. McElroy replaced it with veneers and it looks great. More recently I had a crown come off and this office got me in right away to fix it. I was done in a few hours with a new crown. No more waiting for weeks for a lab to make it. Thanks Smiles by Design. read more

I never liked going to the dentist. Now I actually look forward to it! Dr. McElroy and Dr. Reppas and the whole staff are simply amazing. They put a smile on your face as soon as you arrive! Everyone! Lil Brooke does an amazing job cleaning your teeth and is so charming and delightful. Brooke makes the process enjoyable! Dr. McElroy's high level of satisfaction in working with today's advanced equipment in dental technology along with his entire staff is reason enough to refer Smiles by Design. read more

Smiles by design is the best place ever! The people here are so nice and honest. They have really saved me from a lot of time,money and pain. Thanks again Smiles by Design!! You are the best!! read more

Went in for a cleaning and a routine check up. I have never been to this dentist before. Excellent hygeninst i must say. But the dentist himself is sooo dishonest. Lie right to your face for money. He told me that I would need CROWNS ON MY MOLARS when they were perfectly fine. That would have cost me a fortune!!!! I went home to discuss this strange incident with friends and family. I then decided to go to a 2nd opinion. I was lucky enough to find a dentist who helped me understand what was going on. He will also attack you if you make a negative comment on yelp. PLEASE FOLLOW YOUR GUT FEELING. I was lucky enough to not fall for this. read more

It's been a while since I posted a review of Dr McElroy and the exceptional staff at Smiles By Design in Encinitas, CA. Before I found this office, I was a victim of "piecemeal dentistry" as one called it. All manner of dental students, factory dentists, and others had a hand in my mouth. I never had a comprehensive treatment plan, only cleaning/fillings/crowns/root canals as necessary. When I got there my mouth was a mess. Dr Mac gave me my smile back. It's been about 6-7 years now and he is still taking excellent care of me and my mouth. Unlike the factory dentists, when you come to the office, you see the owner. When you read the credentials, they are Dr Mac's credentials. It's a small office, only one doctor, personal attention. I like that. Add to that a superior support staff... they are just the best. read more

This is most awesome technologically advanced dental practice I have ever been to. Dr. McElroy and his staff are most friendly, caring and truly professional group of people I have ever met. They are simply the best! I never write reviews online, but today I had my teeth cleaned and was treated to a pleasant surprise... chocolate-mint flavored dental polishing paste! Something I never experienced before... and it was awesome! Plus if you have ever had a crown procedure, you know how many trips to the dentist that can take. But Dr. McElroy is so technology advanced... and has superior methods and equipment. You go in for a crown... and you come out with your permanent crown. And it's a superior crown to any other method. Because it's computer modeled and milled right on the spot! The fit is perfect. The bite is perfect. Simply the best! I have had about 5 dental implants from Dr. McElroy as well (two others from a previous dentist and implant specialist). Again, Dr. McElroy and his methods are technologically advanced and yield better results. I've got a mouth full of his work to prove it! Second to none. This dental office is truly the BEST I've ever encountered. Oh, and one more thing... they are always on time! No long waiting room delays. I've been going to them for about 8 years now. I've watched them grow... and yet I never have to wait... my appointments are always on time! read more

I rarely give a five star rating however, Dr. Mac and his staff are "the best"!! Everyone I come in contact with is kind, gentle and cares about me and my well being. If you're looking for high quality dentistry or have fears about going to the dentist, this is the place for you. Thanks all!! read more

Started going to dr Mac after a call to 800 dentist listed him first. Wish I would have kept going down the list. I would go in there for standard cleanings a couple times a year and every time they would push some additional procedure on me (ex deep cleanings, teeth whitening, etc.). The first few visits I continued to express to them that I was on a budget and to just do the basic cleanings. Each time the pressure to get additional work done intensified to the point where they pulled out a slide of someone who had lost all but 2 teeth and said that would be me next week if I didn't do there deep clean procedure. Long story short I caved and ended up spending a small fortune (much higher than quoted). I was bitter but they assured me my teeth would be healthy for years. WRONG. About a year later I went in for a check up and they said I needed a deep clean again. I couldn't believe it. I told them I couldn't afford it and that's when they refused to perform basic cleaning until it was done. I was devastated especially since I was about to get married and was in a real pinch. I ended up going else where and they stressed that I had exceptional dental hygiene and to continue doing what I'm doing. Wish I would have gone here before dr Mac. read more

this dentist completely overcharges even with insurance. Thousands of dollars that took me years to pay off. In addition the crown work he did in the back of my mouth after moving back home and going to a local dentist she said the quality and curvature of the way he created the crowns did not follow my natural teeth and if I kept them like that they'd end up cracking and shattering other teeth. Also on one of the teeth he put the crown on is now infected. Save your money and go elsewhere unless you like being robbed for shotty work... read more

While the staff is friendly and funny and they take your comfort into consideration, I have had the same experience that many others quote on this board. Dr McElroy has suggested and performed proceedures for my husband and me that, according to my new dentist were not needed. Before spending $1000s, get a second opinion. read more

Dr Mac and his team used to be better By my experiences. The business focus seems to have changed. Lots of up marketing. They do keep comfort in mind. Just make pricey recommendations. After discussing my experience with other dental professionals I was advised to go elsewhere. The office is clean with modern technology but I guess most offices have that. read more

Agree with Little C and Jesse that i would give negative stars if that were an option on yelp. I am also a person who does not typically complain after a negative experience, but I went through all the effort to set up an account to write a review here because the experience was that awful. 1. The dental services given was extremely UN-PROFESSIONAL. Teeth cleaning I have over the years with other dentists typically take about 40-60min. Here, for the same service, the entire process took 10-15min. This is not joke or exaggeration. The bill showed the exact time when I paid after the service was done. 2. McElroy is an UN-ETHICAL dentist who talked me into doing services that was later proven unnecessary for the sole purpose of charging extra $$. Unethical is a strong word, and I recognize that. But I think that very well describes McElroy and his staff' practice. He told me that I needed get a treatment done before my orthodontist appt. I specifically asked him "is it absolutely necessary to get this treatment? do I have to get it?", he out rightly LIED without blinking " yes". At the time, he gave no disclosure that this treatment is not typically included in a dental insurance coverage. It was only after the procedure that they presented me with a huge, unexpected bill. I feel cheated! and yet that's not the end of the story. When I went to my later appt with the orthodontist, the orthodontist confirmed that whatever treatment I got with McElroy was NOT necessary at all and laughed that it was just his way of tricking me to pay him more $$. If there were any justice, this clinic should be out of business by now. If you are looking for a new dentist in the area, be sure to avoid this. If you are an existing client, I'd encourage you to explore other options -it's likely because you haven't tried others that you don't know how much extra $$ McElroy is charging you. read more

Dr. McElroy and office staff are awesome! They really ensure you have the best care at every visit!

Excellent staff! I never dread a dentist appointment going here. Dr. Mcelroy is the best. After a bad experience with my previous dentist, it's such a relief to be in good hands. Everyone here is always so friendly and willing to do whatever it takes to make your time there a wonderful experience. read more

After being with a dentist for many years, I had to change due to insurance reasons. The first work I needed was a crown and the replacement of an old crown. I was nervous to have so much work done with a new dentist. Dr. McElroy did such a good job I called the office the next day to thank him. Since that visit I have had my teeth cleaned which was just as successful as my first appointment. At the previous office I felt I could imagine what water boarding was like. I did not have that experience with Cary at all. Susi is very helpful. Highly recommend Smiles by Design. read more

Dr. McElroy and his staff have been phenomenal! They always take excellent care of me and are very accommodating. They have an amazing office and are very reliable. Would definitely recommend to family, friends and anyone looking for a great dentist! read more

found Dr. McElroy by searching online and in an emergency situation that's hard to do.... My instincts served me right! Dr. Mac was perfect and so were all his staff..so caring and reassuring, I felt safe and pampered during the whole process. Best of all there was hardly any pain and I'm sure that had to do with his amazing hands! read more

This dentist is the worst dentist . I am still trying to get the work he did on one tooth fixed 4 years after he worked on my teeth. He did a root canal on a tooth drilled into my nasal cavity . The tooth became infected and he would not help. He blamed me . The dentist I went to after dr McElroy could not figure out why he did what he did to my tooth. He may have some good points and do some good work but he failed I my case . read more

The whole staff at Smiles By Design is incredibly welcoming and nice. Place has a nice atmosphere and the dentistry is great!

I've been looking for a new dentist since coming to San Diego, and this is definitely the one! Dr. McElroy and his staff are amazing and make going to the dentist a great overall experience. I had never heard a negative word about Smiles by Design so I decided I had to go and check it out. One of the best decisions I've made thus far since coming to San Diego. Give this place a try, you won't regret it. read more

Dr. McElroy and his team are the best. I've been going to see him for as long as I can remember and have never left his office anything less than completely satisfied. Dr. McElroy knows everything about his patients and is always curious as to what they are up to. For something that I think most people dread to do, Smiles by Design actually makes going to the dentist enjoyable. read more

I have been searching for a place to bring myself and my children for basic teeth cleaning and specialized help for some time. Fortunately, I was told about this office and have not been disappointed. For our first visits we could not have had a better experience at this dentist. The office was very comfortable and relaxed. And everyone was pleasant and helpful. Although we have to drive for some distance, the trips are worth the time because our appointments are quick and pain free. read more