Just got off the phone with the receptionist 1) Picked up the phone but did not say anything. I had to say "Hello?"and got a "Hello" response like it was a personal call. I had to ask if this was the Pristine Dental Group. 2) When she confirmed that it was the dental group I asked if there was any availability, she ignored my question and went straight into asking about my insurance and telling me that my insurance would not cover X-rays without even asking my member ID, looking anything up, or contacting them (which was misinformation since I actually have looked at my benefits). It was obvious she did not want to be bothered so I thanked her for her non assistance and ended the call. A less than a minute call of unprofessionalism and her trying to bulldoze me with misinformation. From this experience I cannot recommend this office. read more

Had my first visit with Pristine Dental Group in North Park. Got my X-rays taken and a cleaning, which went really well - I didn't feel a thing and my teeth were very polished after! The office ran on time and worked efficiently. The xray tech and Dr. Rodriguez were very kind and knowledgeable. I appreciated how clean the office was, but the rooms are open with the walls separating them, so there's a questionable amount of privacy. I mentioned I had bleeding gums in one corner of my mouth, for which Dr. Rodriguez was going to prescribe me chlorhexidine mouth rinse. I've been to a dentist before, and have tons of family and close friends in the field back home. That said, this is what struck me as odd and frankly, suspicious: When I went to check out, Dr. Rodriguez mentioned to the lady at the front desk that he needs to write me a Rx for the chlorhexidine mouth rinse. The lady quickly said "no we sell it here," brought out the bottle, and said it's $49!! I politely passed and mentioned I could get a prescription for much cheaper. Then, I asked Dr. Rodriguez some questions about cavities, and he brought me a list of advice and suggested products (all available OTC at any normal drug store). While he was doing so, the front desk lady tried to sell me another overpriced bottle of Therabreath for $15... you can find it half price or less anywhere else. I thought this was very strange; I understand dentistry is a business, but this was a bit too much. Most dental practices honestly give samples of tooth pastes, flosses, and rinses... not try and sell you something you can get anywhere. Lastly, I went to pay for the services, and front desk lady (cannot remember her name) started off with "your insurance is very good, this is how much they cover this is how much you owe." Then continued to swipe my card repetitively multiple times while I was calling to see why it was getting declined at first and asked her to wait. She mentioned it was time for her lunch, so she seemed to be in a hurry. I ended up just giving another card, paid, and left. I had scheduled a follow-up for to have fillings for my cavities done, and she did not fail to mention to call no less than 24 hrs prior to the appointment so as to avoid the $25 cancellation/no show fee...my goodness. It makes me question if this office is legitimate or just after a quick buck. I'm a first time patient, I showed up on time, and I was looking forward to the next appointment...she could have said "we will see you next time, please call the office if anything changes." It's a bit more polite and professional. All in all, I think this place is okay for routine dental care. I'm happy with my cleaning and the location. However, the front desk lady seems a bit overwhelmed / out of place. read more

I've been going to Dr Madrid for several years now, and every time I go it's been a pleasant experience. I've always been treated with respect by all the staff, and I like that she is very honest about the treatment I need and shows me pictures and the X-rays. I would recommend this office to all my family and friends!! read more

Pristine Dental Group - That post-dentist sparkle hits different - Cosmetic Dentists Near Me - San Diego, California

I don't usually write reviews, but I really wanted to share my experience at Pristine Dental Group. Like most people, I don't exactly look forward to going to the dentist, we go because we have to, not because we want to. Three days ago I started having very intense pain in one of my teeth, and my regular dentist wasn't available that day. A friend recommended Dr. Madrid, so I decided to give her a try. From the moment I walked in, the staff was extremely friendly and made me feel comfortable right away. Even though they were fully booked, they still managed to fit me in that same day. Dr. Madrid actually took me during her lunch break just to make sure she could take care of my pain. She fixed my tooth with zero pain, which honestly surprised me. The next day, someone from her office called to check on me and make sure I was doing okay. They also scheduled a follow-up automatically to confirm everything was healing well. I would absolutely recommend Pristine Dental Group to anyone looking for great service and truly professional care. I've decided to switch and have Dr. Madrid as my new dentist from now on. read more

Best dentist in town! Hands down. I've been going to Dr. Fina Madrid for years, and she is absolutely amazing! She recently did a 3D scan for me, and it gave me so much peace of mind to actually see what's going on with my teeth. I cannot recommend this dentist enough. Also the office is very welcoming. I'm always a big fan of women owned businesses. read more

I have been going with Dr Madrid for 5 years now, and everytime I've had a great experience! She always handles my care with detail and ease. I drive from Los Angeles just to see her and her great team! Best dental experience! read more

Avoid this dentist's office! I was going to Dean Van Nguyen's practice for a long time, but I decided to switch here because it was walkable, and the space looked nice. They said I needed all 8 of my fillings redone. I have never been told this before, but I thought okay maybe because they're old fillings. I decided to go back to Dean Van Nguyen's office to double check things and lo and behold, everything is okay! They said my teeth are great and to come back for a cleaning in 6 months. I am so glad I paid Dean Van Nguyen $111 to double check things before I paid $2100 to these people. read more

I was a patient at pristine for 4 years and I just made the decision to leave. Pristine dental provides dental services in a trendy, calming environment.... But they use aesthetics to hide poor quality care performed by incompetent and sometimes unlicensed staff. Let me explain. 1. You never know what dentist you're going to see. For the first two years, I always saw Dr Madrid, the practice owner. Then, things started getting weird. One time I showed up for an exam with Dr Madrid and her father did it. The last time was a dentist named Dr Rodriguez. I was never warned I wasn't going to see Dr Madrid, I just showed up to a surprise. 2. Their hygienist wasn't licensed. The last time I went, the woman who did my cleaning did a VERY quick job. Initially I was impressed, who wants to stay in the chair longer, right? Well I went home and my teeth still felt unclean. I started poking around and was able to scrape much more plaque off my own teeth, not an hour after my "cleaning". I called the office and asked for this woman's name so I could look up and see if her license had any complaints against it. Turns out, she didn't have a license! SHE WAS A STUDENT. Super illegal. 3. They wanted to perform unnecessary work and missed deep cavities. The Dr Rodriguez who I saw at the last appointment gave me, I kid you not, a 30 second exam and proclaimed that I had 4 cavities underneath old fillings, one of which was less than years old, and done by Dr Madrid. After finding out about the unlicensed hygienist, I decided not to trust pristine and get a second opinion. The new dentist I saw said all the fillings pristine wanted to do were actually just the glue used under the filling, but that there were two other cavities pristine had missed. One they said was deep and had been growing for years. Had I stuck with pristine, my tooth would have does and I would have needed a root canal, plus they would have rip and replaced 4 other fillings unnecessarily. All in all, I feel betrayed by pristine. They seemed like a great dentist and I trusted them, but it's smoke and mirrors. ASK FOR LICENSE NUMBERS BEFORE ANYONE WORKS ON YOU. Get a second opinion on work. Or really, just find a new dentist. Your teeth are not worth a gamble like Pristine. read more

I highly recommend Pristine Dental. I have been a patient there for about 15 years. They have always been timely, professional and knowledgeable of all of my dental needs. I am grateful that I found such an excellent dentist. Everyone starting with the front desk is personable kind and helpful. The team is also great with outside referrals for specialty circumstances. If you're looking for comprehensive dental care Pristine is the winner. read more

I'm adding an update in response to DDS Fina Madrid's response to my review. There is nothing wrong with my bite, or teeth. After having all of her work redone 6 + months ago, all of my fillings are intact, haven't lost any of them! Her response is pure gaslighting. Bottom line, she performed sub-standard dental work that failed and it cost me over $600 to have it redone. She is not highly skilled, only capable of very basic dental procedures. Beware. read more

While the dentist themself was fine, the front desk was not great at billing and often called multiple times to dispute bills that were covered. Overall, not a pleasant experience. read more

I want to thank all the staff at pristine. I'm sure like many others I hate coming to the dentist especially because it gives me anxiety. Dr. Madrid and staff were amazing. I advised them I was having really bad anxiety. Dr. Madrid not only guided me and talked to me throughout the procedure to make sure I was okay, but she also provided me with a little squishy toy I can squeeze if my anxiety got too bad. Which made my experience at the dentist very pleasant. I have always hated the dentist as a kid and became traumatized to the point where I have anxiety attacks just stepping inside the office. Thank you Dr. and staff for making sure I'm okay and being so helpful. read more

I had an exam and teeth cleaning at Pristine Dental. The work was professional and all the people seemed to be very good people. I purchased some strong rinse for my gums, which I consider a great follow up care and preventative maintenance. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because the office did not check my insurance well, which caused a part of the service to be not fully covered. I recommend Pristine Dental, but make sure they check insurance coverage thoroughly before starting any work. read more

As a new patient I scheduled the next available appointment, which was a month out. When I showed up they informed me that they needed more information on my dental insurance even though I already provided what they asked for a month ago, I gave them my insurance card as well. They asked me for the phone number to my insurance, so I googled it and gave it to them. They called and were waiting on hold. I was told they needed to see if they were contracted with this insurance, I let them know that the only way I found Pristine Dental was because it was on my insurance contracted dental providers list. After waiting 45 minutes past my appointment time they were still on hold with the insurance company. They had my information for a month and could have contacted my insurance anytime before the moment I had my appointment but they did not. I waited a month for this appointment to have them not do their part. Disappointing. read more

I was really excited when I found a new dentist with good ratings that took my insurance. Finding a new dentist can be scary. The x-ray tech was really friendly and helped ease my nerves. After my routine cleaning I asked why they didn't measure my gums because a normal dentist does that at the beginning before they cause any inflammation in your mouth. They told me that they do it after the cleaning which didn't make logical sense and was my first red flag. I had two fillings that were done By Dr.Fina. After the fillings for 5months I was in pain constantly. My gums were gushing blood around the teeth that we're filled. I requested an appointment. When I got there the doctor was extremely rude to me. She told me that "no one ever listens to her when she tells people they could have pain up to six months after having a filling". I've had tons of fillings my entire life and never had bleeding and pain around the site for six + months. The doctor would not do an x-ray on me when I came back with bleeding gums and pain from her fillings. She took photos of my teeth with a normal camera which I could've just done on my cell phone and told me nothing was going on. I added a photo of the email I received with the photo she took with a normal camera for reference. Never experience such a crazy terrible time at a dentist before. After I left the appointment where she took photos with the camera I was scared because my teeth were in so much pain and bleeding + she was my only dentist as of now. So I called the front desk and made an appointment for an x-ray so I could at least take that to the next dentist I went to. When I had my x-ray done Dr.Fina looked at them and said that nothing was wrong which was extremely incorrect! It is obvious that the doctor doesn't know what she's doing. I found another dentist in La Jolla who takes the same insurance who took x-rays and said "you have a ton of bruising because the Dr.Fina DID NOT LEVEL out my teeth. My entire bone was bruised and it was continuing to get worse every single time I closed my mouth because those teeth were the first ones to hit together when I would close my mouth. They had to level out both teeth that were filled because they were all at different levels. Do not recommend going here at all whatsoever!! Stay away read more

Pristine Dental Group - Doctor refused to take a x-ray and said that this photo was equivalent. - Cosmetic Dentists Near Me - San Diego, California

5 stars all the way. Great recommendations, teeth clean and overall superb service. They gave me recommendation to up keep with my teeth. If you want the truth then come here but if you're wishing for cavities then find another dentist. Overall I will be seeing you guys again in 3 months. read more

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The receptionist is so rude, stupid and don't understand anything. She told they don't accept Medi-Cal insurance while they do. They are just sucker for more money read more

I read the reviews to this office and still decided to make an appointment. Called and asked if they did a certain procedure.. she said yes.. got me an appointment... went in... told them what was going on and she said no we dont do that procedure, i said when i made the appointment i asked and she argued that she made the appointment and she never said that. The. Produced to tell me my insurance would never cover such thing, i explained my insurance told me they cover it and told me to book there. Such a bad experience... its pretty sad when a office has someone so rude running the front desk and doesn't do anything about it. Seems to be an on going issue... NEVER visit this place. The dentist across from vons is better Below is a photo so you guys have a list of coverage for your next patient read more

Pristine Dental Group - Cosmetic Dentists Near Me - San Diego, California

6 month check up already booked. I must say for a person, like many, who has avoided going to the dentist. I highly recommend trying pristine Dental Group for yourself. I have avoided going to the dentist for 3 years due to issues at my previous dentist (smile San Diego). I went in with similar expectations due to my insurance and thinking I would be taken advantage of, but that was all thrown out the window. My experience was better than expected and would say to anyone who is currently having issues due to having an HMO, try prestine Dental Group. read more

Pristine Dental provided the most thoughtful and thorough dental care that I have ever received at 41 years old. Everybody was pleasant and kind during every part of my several visits. Dr Madrid was gentle and thorough during cleanings that I had and it was also very gentle and thorough for some reshaping and crowns that I had done. I am quite scared dentists and nervous in a dental chair for obvious reasons. All of that fear is gone now. During my procedures the assistants and the doctor were constantly checking to make sure that there was no pain or discomfort and there never was. Zero physical or social discomfort for each and every experience with Pristine! What an efficient, caring and professional team. I have more work needed and will be returning. I sincerely, highly recommend them to anyone with dental needs. read more

Dr Madrid is one of the best dentists I've been to and the fact that she is a Graduate of a prestigious dental school with advanced degrees is a rarity. Highly recommend. read more

Dr. Fina Madrid exemplifies 21st century dental professionalism in every aspect of the experience! Starting from getting to know my needs before my first visit, and all the way through to post appointment follow up, Dr. Madrid and her staff were extremely helpful, professional and timely at every step. I went in for periodontal maintenance which can get a bit painful, but my experience was extremely smooth and painless. I had no swelling or any after-effects. Paperwork and appointment logistics were swift and efficient. Highly recommend her practice for an awesome and seamless experience! read more

Dr Madrid is AWESOME! Her office and staff are great and she always takes such good care of me. Love this office I would recommend for anyone who is looking for a great dentist who explains and takes their time with you read more

I wish I could give a lower rating. Total scam! Wanted to charge me 4k for a full deep clean. She diagnosed me with moderate gum disease saying i already showed signs of tissue loss! I'm a 35 yr non smoker and regular flosser. Got a 2nd opinion at and it was complete BS! Keep looking for another provider. Completely unethical and unprofessional! read more

TLDR: This place is a joke. I have never written a yelp review before but after going to Pristine Dental, I feel compelled to warn people. It was a pretty comical experience. 1. The front desk woman over-quoted me adding on things I didn't need to fill a minor chip in my front tooth. She said "your insurance covers it but we need a full XRay. You need the full x Ray so we can see what's going on with your chipped tooth. We will give a discount to you though." I said mmm ok bye I'll just go to my previous dentist before I moved. "Oh ok nvm doctor said he can see you." LOL! K... Dentist comes in looks at my tooth and says "so what should we do?" Uhhhhm, not sure doc that's why I'm here..... Last, but not least: Dentist actual conversation to front desk woman as they're going over my payment. "Add on anything you can. I want to go on a summer vacation. Whatever it takes!" I was in a rush, didn't feel like arguing, and wanted my chip fixed before going to a wedding so moved forward. I later called my insurance. Procedure should've been completely free. Scammed me out of $150. On a positive note, this was down $350 from what I was originally quoted by them. I'd say these people are hustlers but even that seems to give too much credit. Tacky schemers seems more appropriate. DO BETTER! read more

The staff is always great. Very welcoming and friendly. Dr. Madrid was is very nice, gentle, and informative. I love the essential oils they use to help you relax! They have always provided excellent service, and I will be coming here for all my future dental needs read more

I needed to get a new dentist because I switched insurance at my work. I found Pristine Dental on Yelp and booked an appointment. Everyone was extremely friendly and welcoming. The office is very clean and staff went above and beyond to make the office safe during COVID. It was a great experience ! read more

Five stars for Dr. Madrid and the entire Pristine Dental staff - they were very professional, kind, and respectful of my time. I also felt that they were very transparent about their process for recommending further treatment. They also provide a clean and safe environment. I will definitely continue my dental treatment with them. read more

I chose this location because it was on my plan. Parking is hit or miss. This practice overcharges for things and constantly wants to push services on you that you refuse. The dentist himself will slap a form on your chest while you are waiting for the service for which you scheduled an appointment for you to sign. What form would require such "stellar" treatment, you ask? Against medical advice form, of course. Is this a dentist office or emergency room? Why did he have you sign an against medical advice form? I refused to give him $800 for a crown he wants to put in my mouth. Did I mention that he has been asking (rudely) for me to get this crown for 4 years, even after I asked him not to ask me to get a crown again due to the cost? Will call you back to reschedule an appointment repeatedly, even after I told them I could not come back due to my shingles outbreak. This practice does not care about patients. They care about your wallet though, and how tightly it remains shut against medical advice. read more

I was due for a regular dental exam and cleaning--my last dentist's office cancelled my appt. without telling me they were doing so... Didn't even reschedule. So, I was in the market for a new dentist. I found Pristine Dental Group on Yelp and figured I'd try them out based on the other reviews. Bonus: they accept my HMO dental insurance. :) When I got there, I had to fill out all the usual "New Patient" paperwork. I powered through as fast as I could--hate filling out all those forms--and gave them to the receptionist. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait too long before my hygienist, Michelle, to come get me. She was great--very friendly and personable. After getting some x-rays, she got to work on my cleaning. Next, Dr. Madrid came in and checked pocket depth before finishing cleaning my teeth. Although the pocket depth test is never an enjoyable experience, I felt she did her best to be as quick and painless as possible. (Previous pocket depth tests at other offices were awful--I swear one person jammed the reader into my gums.) Anyway, she then used a sort powered water cleaner type tool to clean my teeth. After hitting a sensitive spot, she switched to manual cleaning for the last bit, which helped. (I think she also made the water a bit warmer since I mentioned I do have some cold sensitivity). All in all, I was very happy with my visit today. And, although it was annoying that my last dental office cancelled my appt. on me, it did result in me discovering Pristine Dental. :) read more

Dr. Madrid is a very efficient, caring and wonderful dentist. I was hesitant switching over from a previous provider because I had such a poor experience. Dr. Madrid and her team have been very supportive and have made the transition painless. Dr. Madrid is truly talented. In all my years getting dental work, I haven't had a dentist execute a painless and quick filling. She understands the anatomy of my teeth very well; she answers questions in a digestible way and performs her craft in an effortless manner. I would highly recommend this location for individuals looking for a (new) provider. read more

Just switched to this dental group and could not be more pleased. Dr. Madrid is kind and professional. She listened to concerns and explained everything. The office staff is excellent as well. I worried about pain but the procedure was painless. Highly recommend. read more

I went to Pristine for a second opinion after the first dentist I went to told me I had 8 cavities (never had a cavity in my life before then) - I told her that when I came for my first appt and she told me she saw 5, not 8. It was very quick and there was no discussion or explanation of where they were, how bad they were, or what my options were. She just said I had 5 and directed me to make my first appt to get them filled. At my first appt to get the first two filled, I asked if she could show me where they all were and which ones she was filling today so I could be confident that they weren't just saying I had cavities to make more money. She confirmed that I emailed them my xrays from the first dentist I went to, left the room for a couple minutes (to get the xrays, I thought) but then came back and just pointed to the two teeth in my mouth that she was going to do that day. The whole process went fine, but then 3 days later when I came back to get two more done, i asked again (more specifically) for Dr Fina to show me where my cavities were on the xrays. She showed me, and of course I'm not a dentist so I don't know the difference, but it was hard to see a difference between the shadows that were 'cavities' and the shadows that weren't. She also then said after showing me the xrays that the 5th cavity I was going to have filled could actually be kept on watch instead of being filled. I'm not sure that decision would have been made if I hadn't asked her to go over them with me. She filled the 3rd and 4th cavities that day and then went to smooth out one of the first two she did a few days earlier (there was a rough part at the bottom in between the two teeth that made it feel like there was always food stuck), but the filling cracked while she was doing that. It may have been out of her control, but she then had to re-numb me, scrape out the old filling, and fill it again. After filling the 3rd and 4th cavities and re-filling the one from earlier, she told me it'll feel weird for awhile but I'll get used to it. Now I have all 4 cavities filled (2 on adjacent teeth on the top right, and 2 on adjacent teeth on the bottom right), they both feel rough/like there's a little food stuck between them, and the space between the two top teeth has a little edge that my floss gets tweaked on. She was kind and seemed thoughtful - she had silly little things she'd ask me to do to distract me when she was sticking the needle in - but unfortunately I don't think I'll go back there for more work in the future. She might work well for some people, but I wasn't as informed as I like to be, or have been in the past by other dentists, and that definitely contributed to the distrust I feel. 10/7 update: I got another opinion from a different dentist. I'm getting two of the fillings re-done with them as they showed me on the xrays where a piece of one of the fillings chipped off (happened while I was flossing 3 days after getting it done) as well as how there is some space between the tooth and one of the fillings (the filling should fill the cavity fully and make complete contact with the tooth). read more

Dr. Fina Madrid has been my doctor since she came to Pristine Dental. Her work is great. I've had quite a bit of work done with her and I couldn't be more satisfied. The one thing that I "LOVED" the most about this office was the way she treats her assistants, the way she speaks and shares her knowledge with them is amazing. (That's just something you don't see many doctors do) I highly recommend this young, talented doctor along with her friendly staff! read more

So I gave this place a try despite the reviews and I regret it so much. I chose this location due to having medi-cal at the moment and found that this location accepts medi-cal. Unfortunately, Dr. Madrid insisted I pay for the services out of pocket and refused to listen to any information I had about my coverage. In fact she stated " you don't even have insurance." Then why are you accepting it at your establishment and taking the money? During a pandemic you would think this person would show understanding and kindness to patients who need assistance and dental work but instead Dr. Madrid saw it as an opportunity to try to exploit others. Also be prepared to have a bunch of other expenses thrown at you to buy that are just money grabbers. Very rude service and attitude. read more

If you're looking for a dentist who's thorough, honest, and cares about your HEALTH, explains everything and wants the best for you: look no more . Dr. Madrid is so gentle and her exam was educational. I love her professional demeanor. I have yet to see an unhappy face at this office! It gets me so mad seeing how someone can rate her low, there's NO WAY it could have credibility! She even has aromatherapy! THAT'S the type of great dental service this office has. She did my exam and cleaning, and I can't wait for my next routine exam! The aromatherapy was so relaxing! read more

I visited Pristine Dental a few months back for the first time. My experience was mediocre. The front desk staff comes off snobby and condescending. After my check up, I was told I was needed an additional service that required insurance approval and that I would receive a call once it was approved. Never was notified and finally heard back from this place when it was time for another 6 month check. I scheduled a cleaning and fill in and decided to give them a second chance after already feeling like something was off about this place. When I spoke to them over the phone I was quoted $180 for a deep cleaning. Today, I was told $400 when I was signing in for my appointment. I told the front desk woman O was told $180 over the phone and again, in a very condescending tone told me I was wrong. Needless to say, I walked out of the appointment and told them I wouldn't be using them again. Something is just overall sketchy about this place. It's nice and renovated, but there's something not right about this place. read more

I recently had an amazing visit with Pristine Dental Group. It had been years since I had gone to the dentist and I was very nervous and apprehensive to return. I found Pristine Dental Group and was pleasantly surprised from the moment I walked in and was greeted by their lovely receptionist! They treated me as if I were the only patient there from beginning to end and gave me their undivided attention which I really appreciated. Dr. Fina Madrid was kind and gentle and explained every step of the way of what she was doing which quickly put my nerves at ease. She told me upfront what all costs were going to be and never made me feel pressured to do anything as many dentist usually can do! She fit me in same day to do the procedures that were needed and I was quickly on my way with a smile on my face! Thank you again, for making what always feels like a scary trip to the dentist and changing it into such a positive one! read more

Excellent service, everybody was so careful and professional with the precautions of Covid and Dra Fina was really nice and professional with the whole process. read more

I came here for a cleaning and exam. The office seemed clean and the people were pleasant. I chose this office because they accepted my weird California Dental coverage. After the exam, the dentist recommended 4 crowns and lots of fillings. Of course I was disappointed to hear I needed all this very expensive work (quoted $3,500). I could go into more details, but I am careful about criticizing medical professionals. I'm not a dentist. Who am I to say if he is right or wrong. I got a second and third opinion. The second dentist (who did not take my insurance at all--so it would be all out of pocket) recommended 1 crown and several fillings as well as a biodentine treatment. This treatment ended up being $1000 cheaper, and that's without a discount, since they didn't take my insurance. The third opinion and was similar to the second in cost. So, this does not mean Pristine Dental is not good; I am just explaining what happened to me. read more