I really want to give this office 5 stars, but since I was not a fan of the dental assistant, I can only give it 4.
First and foremost, I wish they would have told me on the phone, when I made the appointment, not to listen to google maps directions. Coming from highway 18, google maps will tell you to make a left on Wika Rd. but this road doesn't exist, there is no road to make a left on, only a right. You have to drive down and make a left on Muni Rd. and follow that back down. I ended up having to call the office for directions on how to get there, as if my anxiety wasn't already high enough, I now have to add being lost and late to the mix. When I called, they told me that happens all the time, well then why don't they just tell you that from the beginning and save everyone the hassle?? Or, better yet, just go into google maps and edit the directions to show that road as none existent? Which I have just done btw, it took all of 2 minutes, you're welcome. The office staff was nice enough, I forgot my referral paperwork, but they were able to get it faxed over.
At this point, I'm having a complete panic attack in the front office because of my phobia of dental work, plus getting lost, plus being late, plus forgetting my paperwork. I mean I am sobbing, shaking, and sweating. That's when this dental assistant comes out. Sandra is her name. She immediately sees me and asks me, in a condescending tone, if I'm ok, to which I replied "no". She then basically tries to turn me away, telling me the doctor won't work on me in my "condition". I told her there was nothing I could do about my "condition" and she starts telling me about sedation options, starting with the oral sedation option and then tells me there is also an IV sedation option, she never mentions nitrous. I tell her that my insurance doesn't cover sedation options and she replies, very matter of fact, "No. It doesn't." Knowing the office offers nitrous, because I asked when I made the appointment, and that nitrous is the least expensive sedation to pay for out of pocket, I ask about that as an option. Sandra scoffs at me and asks if I'd ever had nitrous before, to which I replied "yes, multiple times". She then asks how long ago that was, and I said it was a while ago. She then looks me up and down, scoffs again, and says nitrous won't do anything for me. I said I can't afford oral or IV sedation, and even if I could I'd need a driver and I don't have one. She simply replies, saying even if I did have a driver they wouldn't be able to work on me that day anyway because those sedations take time and their schedule is already full (again trying to turn me away and reschedule for a later date). I then asked to speak with the doctor because I wanted his opinion about getting work done that day, especially because I had just finished a round of antibiotics and I didn't want to have to get on them again if the infection comes back before they could see me at a later date. She then has to get one more unnecessary comment in by telling me that since I checked off the box for "fainting spells" on the intake form, if I fainted in their office they were going to call 911. I just said "ok??" and she left.
At this point the doctor came in. His name was Dr. Lim, and he was fantastic at every step of this experience. He asked what was going on and I told him I have a lot of anxiety around dental work but that I didn't want to do oral or IV sedation because I didn't want to reschedule the appointment. He asked "what about nitrous?" and I said I asked his dental assistant about that and she told me it wouldn't work on me. He seemed puzzled by that and reassured me it would work fine, so that's what we went with. We was patient and gentle while doing the work. He didn't mind that I brought headphones and a stuffie with me to help with my sensory overload issues. My jaw wasn't even sore and my face wasn't swollen after the work at any point in time.
When leaving, they give you a little goody bag with a nutrigrain bar, a bottle of water, some Advil, and a mini Chapstick, which was really appreciated.
Overall I'd recommend this place, I just wouldn't recommend Sandra. read more
