I switched to Dr. Sayyah over a year ago after my former dentist, also excellent, sold her practice to someone not nearly as skilled. I had been spoiled by excellent care, a gentle touch and a lovely staff at my old dentist, so my bar was high and it took me ~2 years of trying several other supposedly "top rated" dentists in Bellevue before finding the right replacement - Dr. Sayyah.
I really loved my old dentist and recommended her to many people over my ~15 years as her patient... but I have to say that Dr. Sayyah and her team are actually *even better* than my original dentist. They're just as gentle, office experience just as smooth & personable, but where Dr. Sayyah and her team do even better are in their technical skills and efficient procedures. Cleanings are equally thorough but a bit faster than my old dentist, and I'm in and out quickly. I also recently had two old fillings replaced, which as anyone with fillings knows can be an excruciatingly long process - but Dr. Sayyah and her team had me in and out in less than an hour for both teeth (which look and feel great, btw). My old dentist spent a lot of time trying to correct my bite after fillings were put in (all that tap-tap-tapping with those black sheets inside your mouth!) - but Dr. Sayyah and her tech had me finished in a matter of minutes.
Best of all, Dr. Sayyah & her team have given excellent consultation on every issue I've had with my teeth, including:
1) a retainer wire that kept breaking (my old dentist had insisted I keep repairing it, Dr. Sayyah said I should remove it altogether)
2) a night guard to prevent grinding (old dentist advised full mouth, Dr. Sayyah pointed out that this just gives your back teeth something to grind on and instead advised front-teeth-only guard)
3) tooth straightening (another dentist advised having major dental surgery followed by braces followed by invisilign and her accounting / insurance manager tried to hard-sell me on financing the whole thing, Dr. Sayyah advised only invisilign and her office just presented the costs and said I could just let them know if I want to schedule)
4) tooth whitening (old dentist advised just a topical paint-on gel & said nothing could be done about my naturally yellowish tooth roots, Dr. Sayyah advised three different options including a professional light treatment option that would indeed correct any natural yellowness)
I know dental technology has changed a lot in just the last 15 years, and now that I'm nearing 50 my teeth aren't as naturally perfect as they used to be (seriously, I was blessed with some darned good teeth - bright, straight, no braces and no cavities for 40+ years). Some differences in consultation are to be expected over time and with different dentists, but I feel Dr. Sayyah and her team are the right combo of up-to-date technology, knowledgeable consultation, and no-pressure expertise. They know their clients are smart and can make the right decisions for their dental health if advised well on all their options. And yes, now I'm referring others to her - including my husband, with his full mouth of perfectly man-made veneers, which present their own unique challenges! read more